Popular West Hartford Restaurant Not Reopening

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A popular West Hartford restaurant and watering hole is not reopening and its owners are citing complications from the coronavirus as the reason.

The owners of The Park & Oak Restaurant & Bar made the announcement on their Facebook page Thursday afternoon.

"After much consideration we have decided not to pursue renovations and renew our lease," the announcement said. "The pandemic, as well as the Covid-19 restrictions, have effected our business significantly. We want to thank our dedicated employees for all of their hard work. We would also like to thank our loyal patrons, who we have loved serving over the past four years."

The restaurant is located at 155 Park Road.

On July 3, the owners said it was "a good time" to temporarily close and complete a series of "minor renovations." They then reconsidered, according to posts.

The news was met with sadness by long-time patrons. One person wrote, "This is so very sad. You have been an amazing member of the Park Road neighborhood and an incredible partner to Playhouse on Park. We will all miss you terribly. Thank you for everything. Best of luck to each and every one of you. Hopefully we'll see you around."

Another person wrote, "So sorry you had to make this decision...the restaurant business is tough in good economic times and it’s sad that this pandemic has taken your dream.."

NBC Connecticut News Anchor Heidi Voight announced the personal news on social media as her husband, David was an owner of the restaurant.

"Every morning for the last four months I've reported on the COVID-19 pandemic's devastating impact on human lives and livelihoods. Today, those headlines hit home as I watch my dear husband David close the doors on a dream," Voight said on her social media.

She said, "I proudly watched my husband pour his heart and soul into that little restaurant. Time sacrificed away from his growing family. So many missed holidays, gatherings, weekends. But he did it wholeheartedly to build a better future for us, and because he and his partner Robert truly believed they were bringing something special to this community. And they most certainly did.

"But with no end in sight to the disruption of our normal lives, the glaring reality of this pandemic cannot be denied: They are hardly the first, and they are far from the last small business that simply will not recover from this economic devastation, particularly in the hard-hit service industry," Voight added in her social media post.

She went on to write that she and her family are blessed and thankful and "I am acutely aware this temporary setback is nothing compared to the pain felt by the families of the 4,343 Connecticut souls lost to this virus so far. My heart breaks for them every single day."

"I'm sharing this because I want you to know if you're struggling right now, whether your troubles are large or small, you are not alone. And you need not feel ashamed. This ongoing pandemic is a story that affects us all. The only way we'll get through it is together, with honesty and compassion," Voight said.

Patch editor Brian McCready contributed to this story.