Red’s Kettle Inn is Closed – But Owner Vows: “I Will Be Back”

A beloved Johnson City restaurant that's been a family-owned business for nearly eight decades has suddenly closed.

Long-time fans of Red's Kettle Inn on CFJ Boulevard have worried that the eatery may not reopen.

But owner Tony Sobiech is reassuring customers that he plans to resume operations as soon as possible.

Sobiech was injured in a vehicle crash last month. In a post on the restaurant's Facebook page, he wrote that he is "dealing with the after effects of a severe concussion."

Sobiech said he's been advised to "try to rest as much as possible," so the restaurant will be closed until further notice. He said "I am doing this with a heavy heart" but he realizes his health is "more important to my family and myself than working."

The restaurant owner reassured patrons: "This is not the end of Red's Kettle!! I WILL BE BACK, it might take me some time, but I am chomping at the bit, to get back to cooking for all of my family's wonderful friends and customers."

Sobiech could not be reach for comment on Wednesday.

The Sobiech family acquired The Kettle Inn restaurant in 1944. The name was changed five years later and "Red's Kettle Inn" held its grand opening on June 3, 1949.

Since then, thousands of customers - including players with the old Triplets baseball team - have enjoyed "hot pies" and a wide array of other specialties at the Johnson City restaurant.

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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.