A national chain restaurant that started in New England has closed yet another Massachusetts location after filing for bankruptcy for the third time in seven years earlier this year.

Bertucci's at 45 Walkers Brook Drive in Reading has permanently closed with Reading Recap reporting the restaurant shut down on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

"Bertucci's has closed at this site," a sign on the front door read, directing customers to visit one of Bertucci's other locations in the area. "We look forward to seeing you then."

A call placed to the restaurant Friday morning confirmed that Bertucci's in Reading had permanently shut down.

The closing comes after Bertucci's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April with the goal of "promptly reorganizing its business for a sustainable and successful future," the company said in a statement sent to MassLive.

"Consistent with numerous other recent restaurant brand bankruptcies, consumer demand has shifted away from legacy casual-dining brands," the statement reads. "For Bertucci's longstanding and loyal patrons, the Bertucci's you know and love is here to stay as well, just with a few less locations for now."

Bertucci's has between $10 million and $50 million in debt, according to documents filed in bankruptcy court for the Middle District of Florida. The company also has between $10 million and $50 million in assets. Additionally, Bertucci's sales declined 62% from 2019 to 2024, Restaurant Business reported citing Technomic data.

Bertucci's CEO and owner Robert Earl previously told MassLive that he believes that the company's shortcomings are the result of "a plethora of problems" in the casual dining setting, from surmounting debt to changes in dining habits.

"There's so many factors, but unfortunately, the casual-dining space is in a bad way," Earl said.

Bertucci's opened its first restaurant in Davis Square in Somerville in 1981, according to the company's website . By the turn of the century, Bertucci's had opened locations from Florida to New Hampshire and as far west as Illinois. However, the chain has seen an uptick in closures in recent years.

Bertucci's closed 15 restaurants after filing for bankruptcy in 2018. The company filed for bankruptcy again in 2022 and closed five Massachusetts locations at the time. They were Beverly, Brockton, Canton, Marlborough and North Attleboro, CBS Boston reported at the time . Bertucci's also shuttered its restaurants in Manchester and Salem, New Hampshire.

There are now only nine locations in Massachusetts . They are Chelmsford, Chestnut Hill, Framingham, Hingham, Medford, Newton, Waltham, Westborough and a fast-casual concept called Bertucci's Pronto located in downtown Boston .