Co-owner Mary Barrett-Costello said she decided Thursday night to close the restaurant.The 70 employees were not notified of the closure until Monday morning. “We thought we'd get through the weekend without wrecking everybody's weekend since ours was ruined already,” she said, her eyes watering. “So that's really why there was no notice.”

WEST BRIDGEWATER – Waitress Joanne Mederios got the news Monday morning that her beloved employer, the landmark Charlie Horse restaurant,had closed its doors Sunday night after 25 years in business.

The 31-year-old Mederios, a Brockton resident, was among employees who learned of the sudden closing on a special Facebook page designated for employees.



“It’s very sad. It’s losing a part of my family,” she said while cradling her infant in The Charlie Horse parking lot. “This place was amazing to work for, the customers and my coworkers, and I’m very sad to be leaving right now.”



She was among emotional employees who hugged one another outside the landmark sports restaurant at 674 Old West Center St. about noontime Monday. Some openly cried about the closing, which came about four months after the restaurant celebrated its 25th anniversary in April.



Several patrons who went to the restaurant for lunch were stunned to learn of the sudden closing. They found the front door locked, with a sign posted on the door that read: “Sorry we are closed.”



“Wow, just wow. Great food. I’m surprised, very surprised,” said longtime patron Steve Light, 59, of Hanover, who attended the restaurant’s grand opening 25 years ago.



Paul Zupofska has been a regular customer for more than two decades.



“It’s terrible. I made a lot of friends, like family. It’s very close-knit,” said Zupofska, of Brockton, tears brimming in his eyes. “We all feel each other’s pain.”



Co-owner Mary Barrett-Costello said the restaurant shuttered its doors Sunday night after a decision was made late Thursday to close the restaurant. Roughly 70 employees who work at the restaurant were notified of the closure Monday morning, she said.



Barrett-Costello, who has leased out the location from Riverside Properties, cited declining business and the restaurant’s large location, with 22,000 square feet, as reasons for the closing.



“The bottom line is we just can’t afford to stay here. This is not for lack of trying. We’ve tried a lot of things and we’re going out with our head high because we’ve done a great job,” she said.



Asked about the sudden closure, Barrett-Costello said, “This decision was just made late Thursday night, so we thought we’d get through the weekend without wrecking everybody’s weekend since ours was ruined already,” she said, her eyes watering. “So that’s really why there was no notice.”



“This has been an ongoing thing with us trying to keep this ship upright and it came to the point, it was decided late last week, that the most responsible thing for us to do was to get out of here,” she said.



She said employees will be given the option to continue working for other restaurants owned by Barrett-Costello and her family, including the Abington Ale House, The Charlie Horse restaurant in Kingston and two function facilities, The Tirrell Room in Quincy and Jones River Trading Co. in Kingston. She also owns Plymouth Day Catering.



She and her sister, co-owner Carey Barrett-Allan, said they are considering opening the restaurant in another, smaller location in the area.



“It’s a sad day for us, it really is. But we’re moving on,” Barrett-Allan said. “Sometime in the near future we hope to find another place, downsize.”



The restaurant has an extensive sports memorabilia collection on its walls. Barrett-Costello said she owns the collection, some of which may be auctioned off later this week. Details on the possible auction were not finalized Monday.



“We might take some of it and put it in the Kingston location, but we might sell it,” she said while standing in front of a framed and signed jersey of Baltimore Orioles player Cal Ripkin.



Charlie Horse gift cards will be accepted at the other locations, said Barrett-Costello. There are plans for patrons to be able to use their Charlie Horse game card, with which they can earn prizes, at the Kingston location, she said.



And customers who booked events in West Bridgewater will be given the option to use function facilities in Quincy at the Abington Ale House, she said.



“We’re going to honor everything we have. We’re lucky enough to be able to do that,” she said.



In discussing plans for the future, Barrett-Costello said, “We’re not done. We’re just done in this location.”

Staff writer Maria Papadopoulos can be reached at Mpapadopoulos@enterprisenews.com.