The Griffon Gastropub has closed their Clarence location, 5445 Transit Rd. in Williamsville, which had been in operation for the past decade.
They announced on social media that their lease was not renewed after the recent sale of the building.
“Unfortunately, due to the recent sale of the building, our existing lease is not being honored. Despite our sincere efforts to resolve this issue, we were unable to come to terms and must now seek a new location,” the post read. “This was our second Griffon Gastropub, featuring our largest beer selection and situated in a bustling, vibrant area that served guests from numerous nearby communities.”
According to Buffalo Business First, Eastern Transit Plaza was sold in February for $5.5 million. Other tenants of the building include Fred Duncan Performance Training, Just Pizza and Mirchi Indian Cuisine.
Griffon Gastropub says that they hope to possibly open another location in the area soon. They add that all gift cards will be honored at any of their other locations.
“Thank you for your support over the years in Clarence,” the post continues. “We sincerely hope the right opportunity arises for us to return.”
They add that the impending closure is ‘extremely disappointing’ and that they had a number of improvements in the works for the location.
“We had ambitious plans for this location which were already in motion, including many exterior improvements and what was set to be a stunning patio, providing a unique outdoor dining experience. These investments were driven by the incredible customer base we’ve built over the years, as we wanted to enhance your experience with us,” the post reads. “Therefore, it is extremely disappointing to close a growing and successful restaurant.”
“This is a challenging situation for any restaurateur, and the impact on our guests and dedicated staff is what saddens us the most. It’s a tough business, and while restaurant closures are common, this is particularly difficult because our Clarence restaurant was on the brink of a new chapter of growth.”
Griffon Gastropub also operates locations in Niagara Falls, East Aurora and Lewiston. Griffon Brewing also recently opened in Youngstown. Located at 200 Lockport St., they are open Thursday (3pm-10pm), Friday (3pm-12am), Saturday (12pm – 12am) and Sunday (12-9pm). In addition to a full line of house made craft beers, Griffon also offers liquor and wine, and a house seltzer line, Pubbles.
Brian Campbell is co-founder and Brand Manager of the Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at brian@buffalobeerleague.com, on Twitter (@buffbeerleague), Instagram (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).
