Clover says it will reopen some locations, days after sudden closure

Just days after announcing it would shut down for good, Clover Food Lab now says it has found a path forward to reopen some restaurants. 

The vegetarian restaurant chain will reopen its Cambridge and Boston locations for lunch service on Tuesday, June 9, after securing a deal with an investor, CEO Julia Wrin Piper told Boston.com.

Clover announced May 26 it would close all 11 of its restaurants and its meal-box delivery operations, citing inflation, thin margins, and limited ability to raise prices.

Wrin Piper said the company is focusing on Boston and Cambridge as it reopens some locations. Before last week, the chain also had restaurants in Sudbury, Burlington, Westford, and Somerville.

“We are intentionally focusing on shrinking our footprint to focus on our core communities,” Wrin Piper said. “The operational plan is still being worked out.”

Since March, the company had been searching for a buyer but was unable to find one. However, late last week, Clover finalized an investment deal that will allow the company to continue operating, Wrin Piper said.

Wrin Piper declined to identify the investor or disclose further details about the deal. In an email announcing the reopening, Clover described the investor as “mission-aligned” with the brand and motivated by the “differentiation of [Clover’s] locally-sourced menu.”

“Now, we’re in a position where we’re resourced enough that we’ll be able to move forward with some of the operational changes that will be essential for long-term financial sustainability, specifically reduced footprint, really focusing on serving truly the local community,” Wrin Piper said. 

The reopening also comes after an “outpouring of love” from customers following the closure announcement, Wrin Piper noted.  

Clover locations saw an increase in traffic, and sales surged as supporters flocked to restaurants in their final days, the company said in the email.

The company also received messages from customers sharing memories and expressing appreciation for the brand. In notes shared with Boston.com, customers described Clover as “irreplaceable” and a “unique Boston institution.” Others reflected on years of meals and experiences tied to the restaurant. 

“My memories are mostly about the vibe — welcoming, delicious, passionate, sustainable, and community oriented,” one note reads. “Clover staff were always friendly and helpful. I estimate I had at least 2,000 Clover sandwiches over the 17 years. I tried them all and had my favorites.” 

Wrin Piper said the response was deeply touching. 

“It’s meaningful to see a customer really enjoy a sandwich or really connect with a story that we’re telling about a local farm,” she said. “It’s exciting if you see one customer doing it. If you see literally 1,000 customers do it over the course of a day, it’s incredibly meaningful.” 

Founded as a food truck outside MIT in 2008, Clover built its reputation on vegetarian meals made with ingredients sourced from local farms. What began as a single truck eventually expanded into a regional fast-casual chain and meal-box delivery service. 

Clover went public with its financial issues when it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2023, citing rising costs, slow sales, and difficulty raising capital. The restaurant emerged from bankruptcy the following year with two fewer restaurants and 240 employees. 

Inflation was one of the factors behind the company’s recent closure announcement, and Wrin Piper acknowledged those pressures have not disappeared. 

However, she said Clover’s restructuring efforts are designed to better position the company for long-term stability. 

“Our restaurant portfolio, as a whole, was profitable,” she said. “But because we were challenged with some of these pressures, it’s very important in this next iteration to really focus on the core stores that are not only profitable but also very economically service as a tight community around Boston and Cambridge.” 

While the company’s long-term operating plan is still being finalized, it will include reducing its store count and scaling back on infrastructure built for expansion. 

Clover currently operates a large commissary in East Cambridge, where ingredients from local farmers are processed and prepared for restaurants throughout the system. Wrin Piper said that model was designed to support “scaled growth” and is no longer what the company needs. 

“Right now, it’s important that we’re focused on a reduced store portfolio,” she said. “We’ll be closing or downsizing our commissary, because it’s simply too big for our needs.” 

The chain also faces growing competition from other healthy lifestyle chains that have popped up in the region, such as Life Alive, CAVA, and Sweetgreen. Still, Wrin Piper said she believes Clover’s distinct identity and local sourcing will continue to set it apart. 

“I think providing super fresh, exciting food with really warm and inviting customer service is the way that we’re going to continue to raise sales,” she said. 

Wrin Piper noted that many customers choose Clover for its sourcing that “stays 100 percent the same” despite the operational challenges the company faces, adding that reinvesting in the local agriculture economy has been core to Clover’s mission.

“[Sourcing is] never something we’ve compromised on,” Wrin Piper said. “We will keep our commitment to sourcing from local farms in New England that you can drive to within a few hours.”