Cork Restaurant to close next week

Cork Restaurant, 29 Blvd. of the Presidents on St. Armands Circle, will close for the summer Tuesday, June 1.

W. Howard Rooks, who owns the restaurant and building with his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Bob Morris, said the decision to close is the result of a season that was slower than that of the year before.

“It hasn’t been awful, but it hasn’t been as good as in the past,” he said.

According to a prepared statement, “options include rebranding with modest renovations, integrating a new operating partner and/or leasing or selling to another restaurant entity.”

“While we are uncertain about the details of the future, we view the closing as a tremendous opportunity to move into a more financially successful venture,” Bob Morris said in the statement.

Cork will undergo minor renovations after it closes, including the expansion of its back room. Rooks said if a new restaurant entity does not move into the location, Cork will reopen, most likely in October.

“There’s no reason why it can’t be a whopping success,” he said.

Cork Restaurant opened in February 2007.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].