Ice cream enthusiasts will need to find a new sweet spot since the Friendly’s restaurant in Levittown closed in late September.
The restaurant, serving classic American fare and tasty treats, was located at 3287 Hempstead Tpke. However, it was no longer sustainable to keep the ice cream parlor open due to financial reasons. The abandoned restaurant had a sign in the window pointing patrons to visit the East Meadow location, 1826 Hempstead Tpke., instead.
“As shifting consumer demographics and market dynamics present challenges across the industry, it is incumbent on us to regularly evaluate our restaurant footprint with a focus on long-term viability and strategic resource investment as we work to reinvigorate the beloved Friendly’s brand,” a Friendly’s spokesperson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, in some cases, this process results in the difficult decision to close underperforming locations that can no longer be sustained by the local market.”
The closing of this location came a few months after the shuttering of the Friendly’s in Middle Island. The Franklin Square location also shut down this year.
Friendly’s originally opened in 1935 is suffering from more than 23 different locations closing their doors in 2019.
Joseph Vitrano, the exclusive Friendly’s franchisee in Nassau and Suffolk counties, mentioned that the restaurants were unable to negotiate a lease agreement and couldn’t stay afloat with finances.
Fans of the fun food and ice cream can still dine at the 16 other locations in Long Island.
Currently, the Levittown space has not been bought and is still being cleared out. It is unknown at the time what will be replacing the restaurant.
