According to a Facebook post from the place, Fran and Diane's Kitchen shut down today, with the note saying that the eatery is "no longer!" and mentioning that the sheriff and police showed up today, along with a mover to help them move out of the Lafayette Street space. The post also hints that the developer (Robert Burr) who purchased the building was also there today, and a source tells us that Burr is planning to tear the structure down and replace it with a new development.
An old Salem News article mentions that owners Fran Riggieri and Diane Hamlen had launched a petition drive against the proposed development after unsuccessfully trying to get Burr to pay $240,000 in return for the restaurant owners not opposing the plans for the space. Burr subsequently offered to rent space in the new structure for Fran and Diane's Kitchen at the current rent but the deal ended up falling through after a dispute between the two parties and the petition was then launched.
It does not appear that Fran and Diane's Kitchen will move into another location, as a post on its Facebook page says that "unfortunately, we have lost everything so we will not be able to relocate."
The address for the now-closed Fran and Diane's Kitchen was 333 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA, 01970.
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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
