Tuesday will be the last day manager Janice Spears will take orders at American Steakhouse in West Haven.
"Tomorrow is our last day. We're closing up," she told a customer on Monday.
The owners are scaling back their restaurant business and that means closing the place that has been on Sawmill Road for the last 30 years. Spears is sad to see it go.
"The staff here, many of them have been here for years, and even some of the newer people have become like family. We always have been. Customers that come every week, who you know are coming, you get to know them by name, and we're going to miss them," said Spears.
Alex Mongillo has been working here for four years.
"Getting nostalgic, definitely. Today is my last day working, so pulling into the parking lot this morning, it was a big, kind of just hit me. I've been here for so long. I used to come and eat here as a kid. It's not going to be here at all, it's really something different," said Mongillo.
Mongillo already has another job lined up in Milford. Restaurant owner Isabel Tartaglia has been working to make sure that her other employees also have a place to go.
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"You know that they care. It's really nice to know," said Mongillo.
Even former employees who are now customers say this restaurant will never be replaced. The chain's other locations in Meriden, Norwalk and Bridgeport will stay open.
"I have an American Steakhouse out there, but it's nothing like this place. This is like home," said Michelle Robinson, of Bridgeport.
Any gift cards for American Steakhouse will be honored at the other locations.
Tartaglia said the space has already been leased to Aspen Dental. Negotiations are underway for another business to move in as well.
