NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Central Park’s iconic Loeb Boathouse restaurant has closed its doors for the foreseeable future, according to a report from The City.
According to the publication, the restaurant furloughed workers in March and recently filed a notice with the Department of Labor saying the layoffs would “now be considered permanent.”
A total of 163 workers will be impacted by the restaurant’s closure.
The Loeb Boathouse first opened in the early 1860s and was renamed in the 1950s for investment banker Carl M. Loeb, who donated money to help restore the structure. The restaurant, located near the Bethesda Fountain, offered picturesque views of Central Park and was a popular location for weddings.
While the Boathouse could have reopened in accordance with outdoor dining rules over the summer, it has not done so. According to The City, the Parks Department also has not been charging the monthly license fees during the pandemic.
Restaurateur Dean Poll, who has owned the Boathouse since 2000, has not commented publicly on the closure. He reportedly told the Department of Labor the layoffs are due to “unforeseeable business circumstances prompted by COVID-19.”
An unnamed worker at the restaurant told The City that Poll hopes to reopen the Loeb Boathouse in April. The worker added that the boathouse usually welcomes hundreds of tourists and park-goers daily and needs “thousands” of guests to operate.
The restaurant’s views overlooking The Lake in Central Park was made famous by 1989’s “When Harry Met Sally” and 2008’s “27 Dresses.”