Black Olive Joins List of Local Restaurants That Have Closed Recently

Add The Black Olive to the list of popular local eateries to go out of business in the past several months.

Earlier this month, Kel and Kathy Nasser quietly closed the doors of their restaurant for the final time.

Located next to in a small strip mall at 1866 Main St., joins a list of Those three restaurants are located less than a quarter-mile apart.

Black Olive served up a menu of Italian and Mediterranean specialties featuring chicken, veal, lamb, steak and seafood. The restaurant also had a full bar and boasted a unique martini menu. In addition, The Black Olive had live entertainment each week.

The Nassers could not immediately be reached for comment but, in a statement posted on the restaurant's web site, Kal Nasser said he and his wife held out as long as they could but that the region's faltering economy finally took its tool.

The statement read, in part:

"Kathy and I made a pledge when the troubles with the economy all started:  1) we would not lower the quality of the food;  2) we would not reduce the portions as we know some of our customers depended on being able to have two meals out of one and they seem to factor this as a way to get by;  3) we could not raise the prices while so many people were losing their homes.

"So our family tightened its belt and tried to make it through these difficult times but the constantly rising cost of quality food and the cost of gasoline affected everything. As we watched so many restaurants close in our town, we tried our best to stay open because our customers are like family to us and always will be."

In the statement, the Nassers also thanked their loyal customers.