Morgantown — Check, please.
After one year downtown, Primanti Bros. has abruptly closed its High Street location in Morgantown.
On Wednesday – about a day after patrons were sipping drinks and ordering appetizers – the signage was pulled down and the contents of the restaurant were being boxed and packed out.
According to a company spokesperson, the chain’s initial one-year lease was up for renewal.
“Through the normal course of business, we continually evaluate our portfolio to ensure our restaurants have the resources to achieve their growth potential. Based on our lease agreement, and after careful consideration, we made the decision not to renew the lease and instead focus on our efforts towards the restaurant in Suncrest Towne Centre.”
While the sandwich shop-turned sports bar chain opened on High Street last August, the groundwork began long before that.
In May 2023, it was announced by ownership of The Back Door that the bar would be closing its doors after more than 30 years in business.
Two months later, Casa D’Amici hit social media to announce it, too, would be vacating the building at 485 High Street and moving to the former home of Lotsa Mozza.
In January 2024, we learned those businesses were cleared out to make room for Primanti Bros. when the company appeared before the Morgantown Board of Zoning Appeals requesting a restaurant/private club designation – the initial local hurdle to obtaining a liquor license.
Interestingly, right around the time it became known that the regional chain had its eye on downtown Morgantown, the city made changes to longstanding requirements of the restaurant/private club designation.
On Jan. 16, 2024 Morgantown City Council adopted an ordinance suspending enforcement of Subsections E and J of Section 1331.07(27) of city code.
Those subsections mandated an establishment must be able to demonstrate at least 60% of its revenue comes through food and non-alcoholic beverages; and must submit quarterly reports to the city demonstrating the breakdown of food and alcohol sales in order to get approval from the BZA.
The Primanti Bros. location in Suncrest Towne Centre opened its doors in 2014.
