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“Today…will be our last day. It is with heavy hearts we have made the most difficult decision to permanently close.”
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Sept. 30, the owners of Peconic Bay Diner – mother Chrissy and daughters Eleni and Chloe – announced that the Riverhead staple would be closing for good.
“There are multiple factors involved” in the family’s decision to close shop, including the “astronomical” cost of goods, staffing troubles, and the uncertainty of the future.
One of the biggest factors, though, has to do with the June 2022 death of Angelo Stavropoulos, the patriarch of the family and the co-founder of the diner.
“Our family, as you all know, has been dealing with the loss of our father,” the trio wrote, “and have had a difficult time along the way.”
“At this time, we have decided to walk away from the business and allow new owners to come in and serve the community.”
In 1991, Angelo and Chrissy bought the diner, opening in the following year for business and quickly becoming the textbook definition of a family-owned business, with many Stavropoulos’ working at the eatery.
The diner survived through the worst of the COVID pandemic, a time when many small businesses were forced to shutter.
However, in June 2022, Angelo was killed at age 68 when his family said he had a medical emergency while driving, veering off the road and into a tree.
His loss was felt deeply throughout not only by his related family, but the family he created with the Peconic Bay Diner: hundreds of people commented on the post announcing his death.
The community’s reaction to Peconic Bay Diner closing was similar, with many sharing memories of the restaurant and just how important it was.
“Back in the early 2000s, the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Brat Pack would go there for dinner. Your dad would keep our food warm when we would get a call,” wrote Kristen Klug. “This happened too many times to count. He was a great man and is missed.”
Similarly, Samantha Moore shared, “My family since my little girls were born have loved your staff, your warmth, your soup! You all are wonderful and our hearts go out to you,” while yet another person shared that they’d eaten so many meals at the diner that they “couldn’t possibly keep count.”
It’s clear that while diners will no longer be able to get comfort meals at Peconic Bay Diner, what will remain is a huge impact on the community.
“We can't thank you, our valued customers & our dedicated staff, enough for the wonderful journey the last 32 years have given us. We have been honored to be your everyday diner,” the family wrote in their farewell.
“We love you all.”
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