The Mysterious Demise of Vestal's Storming Crab Restaurant

The owners of a Vestal shopping complex went to court to evict a Cajun-style seafood restaurant that had generated some excitement when it opened

The Storming Crab in the Town Square Mall on the Vestal Parkway started operating during the Covid-19 pandemic in September 2020.

FLASHBACK: The interior of the former Uno Pizzeria as the place was being transformed into a Storming Crab restaurant in July 2020. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

The restaurant initially offered limited seating to comply with state health guidelines related to the pandemic. Operations were paused after a short time when employees accused a manager of engaging in inappropriate behavior.

A new manager was brought in to take charge of the operation but the eatery that promised seafood with "a Cajun flavor from Louisiana" continued to struggle.

A Broome County Health Department notice posted at the Vestal Storming Crab restaurant in October 2022. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

The Broome County health department issued a formal closure order in October 2022 after the restaurant's permit expired. The place never reopened.

A legal notice posted at the building by Vestal Town Square LLC ordered the business to vacate the premises. The Broome County Sheriff's Office then issued a formal eviction notice.

Legal notices posted at the now-closed Storming Crab restaurant in Vestal. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

There was activity at the closed restaurant Wednesday morning as a man waited for workers for a company that had leased equipment to the operation to retrieve their property.

Representatives of the Brixmor, the Town Square Mall's property management company, were unable to comment on the situation surrounding the Storming Crab restaurant.

The Storming Crab chain is operated by Royal Cajun Seafood of Tennessee. Corporate representatives could not be reached.

The Storming Crab sign remains in place at the Town Square Mall on the Vestal Parkway. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

A Storming Crab restaurant near Syracuse closed after it was cited for critical health violations.

Employees of Storming Crab restaurants in Buffalo and Erie said their eateries remain open but they had no idea why the Vestal site was closed.

VIDEO: A closer look at all that's left of the once-anticipated Storming Crab restaurant at Vestal's Town Square Mall.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

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