GREENFIELD — The owner of a popular lunch destination in downtown Greenfield has announced plans to close her restaurant.
Suzanne Kosovich, chef and owner of SoupHerb, a small café specializing in soups and sandwiches that doubles as an art gallery for local work, plans to close the restaurant this summer after offering lunch specials for nearly six years.
The business, which sits at the corner of Main and State streets in the Creative Arts and Event Center, will close after July 1, said Kosovich, who’s retiring.
Diners who frequent the restaurant, at 2 W. Main St., have been disappointed to hear the news, she said.
Still, Kosovich is holding out hope that someone will take over the business. In recent weeks, several prospective buyers have expressed interest, she said.
Rachel Peters of Greenfield, a regular at the restaurant, said she’s come to appreciate more than the soups and desserts.
The restaurant’s dining area also serves as an art gallery for local artists and hosts events throughout the year, which adds to the hometown experience, Peters said.
“Everything about it — the food, the atmosphere, the people — it’s just perfect,” she said.
Kosovich opened SoupHerb in 2010 after working as a chef at Carnegie’s, a gourmet dinner restaurant in downtown Greenfield, before deciding to open her own restaurant.
Initially, Kosovich was uninterested in opening a restaurant of her own, fearing the risks and pitfalls associated with small-business ownership, she said.
But with some prodding from her husband, Walter, who also works at the café, she was convinced. And she hasn’t regretted it since, she said.
“It’s been a great run,” she said. “But now I’m ready to step back and enjoy life a little bit more.”
Retta Livengood, president of the Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce, said she’s hopeful a buyer will emerge to pick up the reins.
Through the years, Kosovich and her employees have developed a reputation in the community for their high-spirited service and “sinfully delicious desserts,” Livengood said.
But with two new locally owned restaurants scheduled to open in coming weeks, not all is lost for downtown diners in search of quality local dining options, Livengood said.
Griggsby’s Station, 101 W. Main St., an upscale eatery serving local farm-to-table fare and craft cocktails, is scheduled to open in early May.
Mama Roux, 16 N. State St., also is slated to open in coming weeks and will specialize in Cajun cuisine.
Until July 1, SoupHerb will maintain its regular hours, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, Kosovich said.
