CNY Restaurant Closes a Year After Getting $500,000 COVID Relief

A year after receiving almost half a million dollars in COVID relief, a restaurant in Central New York is closing its doors.

Stone’s Steakhouse opened in 2015 in the ShoppingTown mall. It closed and reopened on Erie Boulevard in 2017. On Thursday, October 27 Stone's Steakhouse will close for good. April Stone made the sad announcement on the restaurant's website.

It is with heartfelt gratitude to the community that has supported my efforts that I now announce the closing of Stone’s Steakhouse.

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Farm to Table

Stone's Steakhouse featured Green Acres Black Angus Beef farm food along with products from other upstate farms, prepared by talented chefs, and served in an upscale atmosphere.

April operated the restaurant while her brother Mike worked the farm for the past decade. But health issues have altered retirement plans.

We have had the farm for 10 years and now Mike’s health prevents him from working the farm any longer. This is the main reason for the timing of the closing.

Rising costs, staffing issues, and supply shortages are also being blamed for closing the restaurant despite the $485,000 grant given last year through the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund. It was part of the nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which compensated restaurants during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Kirby's Closing Last Location

The news of Stone's closing comes just days after Kirby's announced it would close the third and final steakhouse location after 50 years.

Kirby's Grill and Taphouse opened in October 1972 as Mr. Steak and once had three locations. One in Fayetteville, another in Syracuse, and a third on Commercial Drive in Yorkville. The Yorkville restaurant closed in 2018 and is now a parking lot for a car dealership.

The Fayetteville location closed on Sunday, October 9th after serving the community for 5 decades. The last Kirby’s Grill & Taproom on West Genesee Street in Syracuse will follow suit, closing the doors for a final time on Sunday, October 30.

Open or Closed on Thanksgiving 2023?

Here's the list of New York State store hours for Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2023. Some individual locations have different hours than the National brand. Check with your local store to be certain. Keep checking back for updated holiday hours.

Gallery Credit: Karolyi