Town Dock Tavern, located in Rye at 15 Purdy Ave., will open for its last day in business after 27 years on Sunday, June 23, the eatery's owners announced on Tuesday, May 28.
In their announcement, the owners, Anthony DeLuca and Mike Caiati, did not give a reason for the closure but said they enjoyed becoming a place of celebration and happiness for their customers over the years.
"We have loved being a part of the community of Rye, and we always felt privileged to be here to help celebrate your special occasions — graduations, engagements, birthdays, sports wins, and all your other milestones," the owners wrote, continuing, "We are honored how the community embraced us through all the ups and downs that can happen in a generation."
The owners also reflected on the bittersweet nature of closing the chapter on the tavern.
"We will miss you all, but we will always remember the good times we shared and the memories we made together at The Town Dock Tavern," they wrote.
Throughout its storied history, the eatery's slogan has been: "No judgments. Good food. Come as you are. Stay as long as you'd like."
The news of the closing prompted several reactions of grief from patrons on social media.
"That place holds the most precious memories for me and my family dating back over 25 years," commented Holly M., who added, "Too many memories to count…happy and dark times both."
David M. also left a comment: "We will truly miss you and the foundation you provided us to celebrate each other and our accomplishments big and small from making it through the week, first dates to graduations, engagements, marriage and even or worst time bereavements."
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