E.J. Phair closes Concord location after 22 years

CONCORD, CA (Sept. 15, 2022) — After lukewarm post-pandemic fiscal results, E.J. Phair suddenly shuttered its downtown restaurant in late August.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 and its residual effects have taken their toll,” E.J. Phair ownership stated about the decision. “(We) were hoping for a last-minute miracle.”

Restaurant officials didn’t respond to repeated requests to answer questions, including how many jobs would be lost with the closure or if those workers could transfer to its locations in Alamo and Pittsburg.

Most of the alehouse’s tenure gave it a front row seat for the excitement and good times permeating from crowds that packed Todos Santos Plaza, from Thursday evening Farmers Markets and concerts to special events such as the Concord Jazz Festival and Oktoberfest. But E.J. Phair’s prosperity had apparently soured. The final nail in the coffin came with a Facebook post that the eatery was closing Aug. 28 after 22 years.

Challenges

Among the challenges apparently befalling the operation was potential rising rents – a growing reality in both the residential and commercial sectors. Suggestions emerged that E.J. Phair was facing a sizable increase for its downtown space.

Further indications of the financial woes were sales off as much as 50% over the past several months.

“They were the last of the Todos Santos restaurants to open after the heart of the pandemic, and I suspect that the customer base found other places downtown and became more loyal there,” said Concord Councilmember Edi Birsan, who was not surprised to hear of the closure.

Despite the news, Birsan remains optimistic about the downtown and Todos Santos Plaza going forward. “It appears to be rather vibrant still, even with rising prices,” he said.

To that end, Birsan pointed to further relief for the local business community in the form of federal funding coming down the pike from the American Rescue Plan Act. Council action on a recommendation is expected in a couple of weeks to the tune of about a million dollars.

In announcing the closure, E.J. Phair appealed for continued patronage of local businesses.

“Please support your local mom and pop business when you can. These businesses are what make your local communities unique and special. Any profits they make stay local,’’ said an E.J. Phair spokesperson. “If local businesses aren’t supported, many will disappear.”