WASHINGTON (JTA) — Eli’s Restaurant, a popular kosher eatery in Washington frequented by politicians, says it’s not closing.
Sina Soumekhian, Eli’s owner, told JTA that the building in which the restaurant is currently located is going to be demolished and he’s looking for a new location.
“I appreciate the support and the petition that’s going around and the concern of people who do want to have Eli’s restaurant have a presence in D.C.,” Soumekhian told JTA. “But we are not planning on closing down permanently. We’re currently looking at locations to move the operation to.”
A petition being circulated on Change.org, which had 100 signatures as of Tuesday, wants the owners to know “how important it is that they find a new location in DC and continue to serve the downtown Jewish community.”
The restaurant has been serving corned beef sandwiches, hamburgers and soups at its location near DuPont Circle, at the southeast corner of the intersection of N and 20th streets, NW, since 2004.
At least one other kosher eatery is open in downtown Washington, at the local JCC.
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