The Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse in South Portland closed abruptly late last week, leaving its 60 employees jobless.

Josh Reny, South Portland’s assistant city manager and economic development director, said this week that it’s “always a disappointment to learn that a business is closing its doors. The restaurant has been a staple in this community for more than 20 years.”

Located at 264 Gorham Road by the Clark’s Pond area, the restaurant was part of the original development and opened in 1995. The Clark’s Pond development has seen a number of changes lately, with several big-name stores moving to new quarters in Scarborough.

The development, which is anchored by Home Depot and a Cinemagic movie theater, however, still includes a variety of restaurants, including the new Tilted Kilt pub and the B. Good gourmet hamburger chain, as well as Olive Garden.

Reny said the Maine Department of Labor has organized a Rapid Response session to link the laid-off employees with the resources they need. The initial meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, after the Current’s deadline.

“We hope that local restaurants and other businesses currently hiring will contact the Greater Portland Career Center to (better assist) the people who have lost their jobs” get new work, Reny said.

Known for its rustic decor and wildlife animatronics, the Bugaboo menu included steaks, ribs, fish and more. The company, which was founded in 1993, went through bankruptcy in 2010 and in the summer of 2011 was sold to Capitol BC Restaurants LLC.

During the bankruptcy at least a dozen restaurants where shuttered, according to news reports at the time. But following the $10.1 million sale, Bugaboo Creek attempted a comeback with a new menu and a focus on its bar offerings, including a new draft beer made exclusively for the restaurant chain.

In the past year, Bugaboo Creek has also closed restaurants in New Hampshire and in Massachusetts, as well as its Bangor location in mid-June.

A sign on the door of the South Portland location said only that restaurant had closed.

“Thank you for your years of patronage. It has been our pleasure to serve you,” the sign added. 

Sun Media Wire staff writer David Harry contributed to this report

The Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse in South Portland has closed.

A sign on the door at the Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse thanks the restaurant’s patrons.