BALTIMORE- Bertha’s in Fells Point, one of Baltimore’s icons, is getting ready to close.
“It’s always sad to see an iconic place go, but I understand,” Joseph Diseta of Baltimore said. “The owners have been here for years.”
The Norris family, who owns the restaurant, made the announcement on Facebook.
Bertha’s has been a staple in the community for 50 years.
The family issued a statement that reads in part:
“Closing Berthas is bittersweet. As a family, we’ve given so many great years to this wonderful place and are now ready to pursue other life paths and interests. We have made many treasured friendships over the years with our customers, staff, and neighbors.”
Bertha’s is famous for its mussels, but, even if you’ve never eaten there, you probably seen the restaurant’s iconic bumper sticker.
The stickers, which say, “Eat Bertha’s Mussels,” can be seen all over.
“We were in a pub in London, and we saw one on the wall there, and, I’m pretty sure we saw one in Africa,” Baltimore resident Wes Wdzieczny said. “It’s one of those things that when you see it,you can snicker and say, ‘Hmm. That’s back home.'”
Lifelong Baltimoreans remember going to the restaurant as children.
“I have had a great time growing up in that bar,” Wdzieczny said. “Made some awesome friends there. Had a lot of good times. A lot of family memories. It’s just an awesome piece of Baltimore History.”
And they will be sure to stop in before the restaurant’s final day.
“I’d like to thank Fells Point for having Bertha’s for as long as its been here,” Baltimore resident Ronald Boyd said. “It’ll be missed.”
The Norris family will be putting the restaurant up for auction on November 15th.
They encourage customers to stop by to celebrate and say goodbye.