A popular Harford County restaurant has announced it is closing its doors, effective immediately.
Steelefish Grille, located at 660 Boulton Street in Bel Air, announced on its Facebook page that it is abruptly closing after 14 years.
“It is with a heavy heart that we need to announce the immediate closure of Steelefish Grille. We would like to thank this wonderful community for all of your support over these past 14 years. It has been our pleasure to serve you,” the restaurant said in a post Tuesday.
Harford County residents told CBS News Baltimore they are disappointed to see the locally owned business shut its doors.
“Why?” asked Harford County resident Maxine Stocks. “Because it’s a pretty good restaurant and it’s been a staple for a while.”
“The food was good, the cocktails were nice,” added Harford County resident Albert Brown. “We really didn’t have any complaints. That’s why we went there kind of frequently.”
The owner of Steelefish Grille did not give a reason for the closure. The same owners announced on Facebook last year that Sunset Cove in Middle River would also be closing.
Nearby Hickory Lodge, which is also owned by the same people, remains open for business.
“It’s sad,” one customer said. “It seems like it’s going on a lot. So many places are starting to close, and it’s basically overnight for a lot of stuff.”
Many locals said they are in disbelief, noting that locally owned businesses put money back into the community.
“It’s going back into your community. It continues to go to the community. It continues to add things to the community that are needed,” one resident told CBS News Baltimore.
Customers said they hope there will be a suitable replacement for the restaurant.
“They’re going to put something else there just as equivalent, I would think, because they did good business there,” one customer said.
“Hopefully whatever goes there can still have the same feel and can bring the same pace to the community as it had,” another customer added.
CBS News Baltimore has reached out to the owners for comment, but they could not be reached.
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