FAIRFIELD, CT — Lovebird, a Pennsylvania-based chain of fried chicken restaurants, abruptly closed its Fairfield location on Tuesday, according to a sign in the window.
“Dear Valued Customers, we have made the difficult decision to close today permanently,” the sign reads. “Thank you for your support.”
The Fairfield location was Lovebird’s only Connecticut site, and it had been open at 2385 Black Rock Turnpike for about a year and half.
Patch reached out to Stephanie Wilson, Lovebird managing partner, for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.
On the restaurant’s Instagram page, it cited “the challenging economic climate and location of the store” as the driving forces of the decision to close.
Customers with questions, or who are holding gift cards and need a refund, are urged to contact Wilson at stephanie@lovebirdpa.com.
Mark Barnhart, Fairfield’s Community and Economic Development director, told Patch that the restaurant’s closing is not indicative of broader business trends, because the town has “had more businesses open than close” in the past year.
“It’s unfortunate when any business closes, but it happens,” Barnhart said. “The first several years are the most challenging for any small business, and some businesses simply don’t make it. And, the restaurant industry is demanding and incredibly competitive in Fairfield, where there are a lot of restaurants from which to choose. It doesn’t always work out, but it can open the door for another business opportunity.”
