By JACQUELYN VOGHEL
Staff Writer
SOUTHAMPTON — Jp’s Steakhouse and Grille closed its doors for good Sunday, shortly after passing the milestone of one year in business.
Owner and Easthampton resident John Piskor said financial concerns and challenges related to attracting enough customers factored into the decision to close the restaurant.
“As a business owner it’s very difficult to kind of spread yourself out, specifically in the restaurant industry,” Piskor said. “Owners have to be in the back and the front of the house.
“Sometimes you have weaknesses in one area or another, along with the daily operation, the finance portions of it,” he said. “So that has a lot to do with it as well.”
Piskor said the business faced challenges in filling seats in the building, which is over 6,000 square feet in size. The restaurant could fill 75 percent of seats on a regular basis, Piskor said, but would need to draw a full house at least once a day to create a more viable financial situation.
The restaurant, which was located at 169 College Highway along Route 10, opened in May 2018 in the former location of Opa Opa Steakhouse and Brewery.
Menu offerings included options such as steak and seafood dishes, burgers, pasta, and grilled pizzas, and the restaurant is described as an “upscale casual dining experience” on its website. The space also hosted weekly live music.
Piskor bought the property as part of a five-year lease purchase but said the property’s owner is looking to put the building up for sale again or let someone else lease the space.
Piskor did not reveal any specific plans for the future but said that he remains open to different possibilities in the restaurant industry.
“My mission has always been for the love of food and beverage, and that’s what I will continue to do in future endeavors for myself or others,” Piskor said. “Who knows, there may be a Jp’s revival someday — but nothing in the immediate future.”
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.