Locally Loved Family-Owned Restaurant Shutting Its Doors After Over 60 Years: 'I’ve Got to Come in There to Eat One More Time' (Exclusive)
Locally Loved Family-Owned Restaurant Shutting Its Doors After Over 60 Years: 'I’ve Got to Come in There to Eat One More Time' (Exclusive)
Chiara KimWed, March 11, 2026 at 8:42 PM UTC
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Credit: google maps -
A family-run restaurant is selling its property after 68 years
The restaurant was struck by hard times from the pandemic and family health issues
Customers and employees have gotten in touch with the restaurant’s owner to express their gratitude
A local-favorite family-owned restaurant is shutting its doors after 68 years and two generations.
Kelly’s Seafood, a seafood restaurant in Philadelphia, announced on Facebook on March 7 that they will be selling their property after 68 “amazing years.”
“To say we are thankful is an understatement,” the post says. “You stuck by us through some very challenging times.”
Brett Kelly, who runs the business with his twin brother, Brian, told PEOPLE the family has faced several trials over the past few years.
Kelly, 62, shared that his father, who started the restaurant with Brett’s grandfather, passed away two years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the restaurant hard. Now, Kelly said, Brian is going through ill health and doesn’t work at the establishment anymore.
“‘There’s always a Kelly in the kitchen’ was always our motto,” Kelly said. “So that means I have to be here… pretty much day and night, so it’s starting to run down on me.”
Kelly shared that it was his mother who said, “I think it’s time.”
As a family, they decided to sell the property. Kelly noted that the Kelly name will be removed from the building – they are not selling the business.
"It’s bittersweet,” Kelly said. “We [knew] it would eventually happen.”
“We hate it, but we have to do it,” he said.
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Kelly's Seafood announced it will shut its doors once the property sellsCredit: google maps
A customer who lives an hour away called Kelly after receiving the news.
“[He] goes, ‘I just want to make sure you’re open because I’ve got to come in there to eat one more time. I worked there in 1982.’” Kelly relayed.
“I’m like, holy crap, I was graduating college around that time,” he said.
Kelly also shared that people who worked for him back since the 1980s have come to the restaurant or gotten in touch with him after the news.
Lots of people asked Kelly about the snapper soup he's been making “forever.” He said he’s going to take the recipe with him and “see what happens.”
The best part of Kelly’s Seafood is how the business helps its employees, he said.
“We build them up to be good people, and I’d say that everyone who’s worked here has left here a good person,” Kelly said.
The Kelly's told their staff the decision before listing the property and let their customers know their afterwards so they can use gift certificates before the property sells.
“We’re not going to be that place or that restaurant that just puts a note on the door and shuts the door,” Kelly said.
According to PhillyVoice, the restaurant known for a packed menu and early-bird specials is listed property for $2.2 million, which includes an apartment and liquor license.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
