Last week, Fast Company reported that Clover Food Lab was closing after over 17 years in business due to financial challenges. The Boston-based vegetarian eatery was a local favorite known for its locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients.
In a May 27 message posted to the Clover website, CEO Julia Wrin Piper announced that the restaurant chain’s last day of operation would be May 28, after which all locations would close.
One week later, Piper shared an update announcing that Clover would reopen some of its locations on Tuesday, June 9. Here’s the latest and what to know:
Customers weren’t ready to say goodbye
News of Clover’s closure led to a massive outpouring of customer support, according to Piper.
A memory survey set up by the company received over 450 responses. One customer created fan art; another wrote a tribute song titled “Ode to Clover.”
“My memories are mostly about the vibe – welcoming, delicious, passionate, sustainable, and community oriented,” one fan message read. “I estimate I had at least 2000 Clover sandwiches over the 17 years – I tried them all and had my favorites.”
In a June 3 message posted on the company’s website, Piper wrote that the public outcry “led to an email, then a phone call, then several phone calls, then some very late night meetings,” and ultimately, a complete change of plans.
“Clover will continue,” she announced.
Piper explained that the team was still figuring out all the details of its path forward. But said that Clover will undergo significant changes.
In a separate June 3 email sent to Fast Company, Clover shared that it had finalized a deal with an unnamed investor who was “motivated by the strength of the brand and the differentiation of our locally-sourced menu.”
Inflation pressures remain a concern, the email said, and the company is working to implement operational changes to ensure financial stability.
Which Clover locations will reopen?
Clover will remain closed through June 8 to regroup.
On June 9, Clover will reopen its core Cambridge and Boston locations, from lunch onward. Breakfast service will return the following day.
Piper asked loyal customers to eat at Clover, share honest feedback, introduce the restaurant to at least one new person, and support other local businesses.
Fast Company followed up with Clover for additional details. The eatery said it is working out opening and closing details on a site-by-site basis with each landlord, and confirmed plans to wind down its 10,000-square-foot commissary in East Cambridge, with prep moving in-store.
The company said it was blown away by the level of public engagement: “Despite dealing with current inflationary pressures, we have never been more confident in our concept and how it resonates.”
The number of jobs saved or lost will depend on which locations reopen and whether employees choose to return.
