AMESBURY — After five years at its current riverfront location on Main Street, the popular Powow River Grille is bidding farewell to the town of Amesbury.
Restaurant owners Mark Friery and Francis Broadbery said they are paring down their restaurant operation to allow Friery to pursue a new business idea he's been planning for some time. While the two will continue to offer their unique brand of ethnic-inspired cuisine at the Powow's sister restaurant on Plum Island — the Plum Island Grille — the Powow River Grille will close at the end of the year.
"I'm going to miss Amesbury," said Broadbery, chef and general manager. "We've done a lot of very nice events over there, and we will miss our customers over there a lot. But we hope they will take the opportunity after Jan. 1 to come see us at the island."
The Powow River Grille opened to considerable fanfare in Amesbury in 2005 when Friery and Broadbery took a chance on the fledgling downtown, submitting the winning auction bid of just under $400,000 for the large space in the hope of bringing Plum Island Grille's "simple but elegant" flare to Amesbury.
The spacious site was formerly home to The Roost restaurant, which had been unable to succeed after a two-year run.
A letter to friends and clients sent out earlier this week explain Friery, who is an attorney with a background in finance and leading start-up ventures, has been interested for a long time in starting a company that specializes in the environment and sustainable living — an interest he shares with his wife, Kelly.
"Mark will now be turning his focus to pursuing local cleantech opportunities," Broadbery wrote. "While we will retain our longstanding partnership in the Plum Island Grille, Mark and I have decided to sell the Powow River Grille."
The restaurant was listed for sale yesterday with Boston Restaurant Group, represented by Realtor Charlie Perkins.
Friery said in a press release put out this week that though his career is centered on starting successful businesses, he stayed with the Plum Island Grille, which he started in 1999, much longer than he had any other start-up business.
"The Plum Island Grille has been the longest stop of my career with start-ups because it quickly became my passion," Friery said. "It's gratifying to know that I can rely on Francis — a true restaurant professional — to take care of the Grille while having the ability to pursue another passion, sustainable living technologies, or Cleantech."
The restaurant's popular catering business will become Plum Island Catering.
Broadbery said despite being happy with business in Amesbury, the clientele, the Chamber of Commerce and the restaurant's excellent location overlooking Powow River falls in the downtown, having Friery take on a lesser role in the business forced him to reassess what he should be focusing on.
And unfortunately for fans of the Powow River Grille, that meant shutting the doors on their five-year venture in Amesbury.
"I personally would prefer to put my efforts into one place rather than the two places," Broadbery said. "The growth at Plum Island over the past few years has been truly astounding, and I'm looking forward to building on that extraordinary success."
Broadbery said he's planning a fabulous New Year's Eve Bash replete with live entertainment and more to thank loyal customers for five years of patronage.
"This was a difficult decision for us to make," Broadbery wrote to friends. "Over the years, Amesbury has proven not only to be a fantastic venue for our style of food and service, but a very special town where we have found many loyal customers and new friends."
