Brooks and Porter Closes Its Doors in Merrick

In October of 2011, Brooks and Porter Steakhouse, under new ownership, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony where the new management team announced their plan to rechristen the restaurant with the name "Prime 516."

At the time, Prime 516 co-owner Ronan McGuigan had high hopes for the establishment. 

"I think there's great potential here," McGuigan told Patch. "You've got the train station right here, the movie theater down the road. Plus, there's definitely a market for a good steakhouse in this area and that's basically why we took this location."

However, the resturant quickly folded, and the original Brooks and Porter owners, who had first opened the eatery back in 2008, re-purchased the establishement and restored the original name.

But history repeated soon repeated itself, and now the blinds of Brooks and Porter are once again drawn and their doors shut for good; or at least, for the time being.

The cause of Brooks and Porter's sudden closure is currently unknown, but some residents are lamenting its departure from the Merrick restaurant scene.

"It's a shame they're gone," said Harriet Fawns, who was walking past the darkened windows of the Brooks and Porter building, its missing sign leaving behind an imprint of dirt and exposed wiring. "I've have dinner here a few times, and I really enjoyed it."

How do you feel about Brooks and Porter closing its doors? Tell us in the comments below.

______________________________________________________________

Get local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Like Merrick Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

______________________________________________________________