SARATOGA SPRINGS >> A longtime local restaurant will close its doors on at the end of the year after more than 40 years on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.
Lillian’s Restaurant, located at 408 Broadway and owned by restaurateur Ray Morris, will close on New Year’s Eve, the business announced on Monday morning.
Morris is taking the opportunity to leave the demands of restaurant ownership and start a new chapter in life.
A private individual approached him to buy the 60-year-old multi-story building which houses Lillian’s, the announcement said.
With mixed emotion, Morris said in the press release, “I have decided to sell 408 Broadway and will be closing Lillian’s doors at the end of the year after a New Year’s Eve farewell.”
The announcement said that Morris had mulled over the idea of selling the building at some point, when this offer presented itself. “It was not an easy decision to make but opportunities like this don’t come along every day,” it stated.
Morris opened the Broadway landmark on January 1974, naming it after Lillian Russell, an opera singer who spent summers in Saratoga Springs in the late 1800s. Lillian’s has remained steadfast as downtown struggled to survive economic ups and downs.
Morris will be exploring new avenues in 2016, the press release said.
Once the sale was confirmed, Morris spoke with each of his employees and promised to help them with future endeavors. He also contacted customers who had booked events in 2016 to inform them of the news, and to suggest alternative venues for their special events. Lillian’s Restaurant has hosted the Saratoga Springs Lions Club’s weekly meetings for many years, so he informed them that they would need a new meeting venue for 2016.
Morris was a founding member of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau as well as a longtime member of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association.
These proactive business groups have helped make the city attractive to tourists, event planners and families looking to relocate. Their efforts have played a major role in the City’s many national awards including the “Great American Main Street” and “Best New York State Destination.”
Morris’ generosity in supporting community programs has made a significant impact on Saratoga Springs. He takes pride in the mark he has made on the city and the hundreds of young people who worked their way through school at Lillian’s.
“It brings me great joy to see so many of my 15-year -old bussers get a degree to become a doctor, lawyer or start their own business,” Morris said in the release. “I am often stopped on the street by customers who say that Lillian’s is where they proposed to their wife, dined with their prom date or celebrated all of their special family occasions.” Watching Lillian’s close will be difficult, the announcement said, but it will begin a new chapter for Morris and his family.
Lillian’s will continue to redeem gift certificates and accept reservations for holiday parties as they prepare to close.
Customers are encouraged to stop in to say their goodbyes and savor one last Lillian’s French onion soup, grilled steak and homemade dessert.
For more information on Lillian’s Restaurant visit www.lilliansrestaurant.com. Party and dinner reservations may be made by calling (518) 587-7766.
