‘It’s not worth it’ — Spoodles Deli won’t reopen in downtown Worcester, owner says
Plans to reopen Spoodles Deli in Worcester have fallen through almost a year after the downtown restaurant closed and now, the popular lunch spot is closed indefinitely, owner Georges Makhlouf told MassLive Monday.
The restaurant had planned to move from its previous location at 340 Main St. to around the corner at nearby 10 Front St. after the building that housed Spoodles on Main Street was sold, Makhlouf previously told MassLive. The relocation was announced in December 2024, the same month the restaurant suffered a water break and had to close its doors.
In January and February, a flyer hung on the window of 10 Front St, teasing the reopening of Spoodles. Boxes and other items could be seen in the storefront. However, as months went by, the flyer disappeared and no major changes to the building's interior were made.
That's because Makhlouf decided not to reopen Spoodles.
"I gotta move on," he said Monday.
Makhlouf said several factors led to his decision, including money.
Makhlouf reported a $500,000 loss in profits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With fewer customers visiting Spoodles, Makhlouf said he struggled to earn enough money to rebuild the restaurant.
"There's no customers there," he said. "It's not worth it."
Another factor, according to Makhlouf, was timing. He said it was taking too long to reopen Spoodles.
Makhlouf is unsure what will happen to the property at 10 Front St., which is owned by Felicio Lana, who also owns @ The Common, previously known as The Midtown Mall.
Lana did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.
Spoodles had been around for more than 30 years, standing on the corner of Main and Foster streets. The two-floor restaurant featured a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, Greek food and more.
The employees of Spoodles have managed to find new jobs elsewhere, according to Sierra MacDonald, the former deli manager.
The chef who made the soups, for example, is now working at the restaurant Brick & Stone on Grafton Street, MacDonald said.
As for Makhlouf, he has found work in the electrical engineering field.
"I love Spoodles," Makhlouf said, "As a business decision, it was very tough."
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