Venti’s Cafe & Taphouse abruptly closed this week after 13 years in operation.
Owner Dino Venti said he decided to close the location Monday after receiving July’s financial report for the south Salem restaurant. The first location, which he opened in 1996, is in downtown on Court Street. He said trying to run the two locations so close together was not financially viable. He said he hopes the business could all shift toward the downtown location.
The south Salem vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant was the second location in the Venti’s restaurant family. It opened in 2011, having over double the space and beer selection of its downtown sister spot. The space was 4,340 square feet and had 24 beers on tap.
“When we first opened, we were one of the only places to craft beer and we rode that wave of growth,” Venti said. “It’s flatlined now, and that’s one of the factors.”
The unexpected announcement comes just over a week after the restaurant emailed its customers about changes in hours and service. The restaurants moved to being open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, starting July 29. The south Salem location also shifted from table service to counter service.