NEWBURYPORT — After more than 18 years serving residents Italian cuisine and getting involved with helping the community, Oregano Ristorante announced it will close at the end of the month.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, Oregano will be permanently closing its doors,” the restaurant announced in a Facebook post. The final day of service will be this Sunday for the 16 Pleasant St. eatery.
The restaurant’s official website offers a more detailed statement from owner Claude Elias and his wife, Laura.
“Serving you has been an incredible privilege,” they wrote. “The memories, laughter, and connections we’ve built together mean more to us than words can express. Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting us through the years. We hope to welcome you one last time before we say goodbye.”
Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Caswell confirmed that Elias reached out to her about his retirement.
“That was his goal,” Caswell said. “We had kind of known within the community of restaurants that Claude and his wife were planning retirement and had an interest. Eighteen years is a long run.”
Caswell, who owns the restaurant Brine on State Street, noted that it is a big commitment to keep going, with long-established restaurants “going into some economically challenging times.”
“Our industry, by no means, is secure,” Caswell said. “It’s very, very risky. I think for somebody like Claude, it’s valuing their time at their age and shelving their career that has been, you know, a part of their life. And they’re onto the next chapter.”
Caswell said the couple’s leadership in the business community will be missed.
“We’re sad to see him go because, as I mentioned, he’s so philanthropic with all of our nonprofits and with our schools,” Caswell said. “And he kind of set the tone for us as restaurant operators to continue with.”
She said he was also very involved in the Chamber.
“He was always active in our restaurant committee and he supported Port of Wonder, and he supported the Car Show, and he’s always been a good business sponsor to the Chamber,” Caswell said.
She shared a bit of the sentiment of the message she sent to him after she learned the restaurant was closing.
“I hope to have him in our dining room and continue to host him and his family, and that this next chapter finds him with a lot of rest and time with loved ones,” Caswell said.
Elias did not respond to requests for comment in time for this report.