The exterior of Henry’s Public House. Restaurateur Josh Miranda has announced it will close in February. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald, file

Henry’s Public House in the Old Port announced Friday that it will close in February.

The last day of operations for the three-story restaurant and bar at 375 Fore St. will be Feb. 15. Launched in July 2023, Henry’s paid homage to Seamen’s Club and Bull Feeney’s, iconic Portland restaurants that inhabited the space before it, as well as to Portland poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the venue’s namesake.

“We love this building and all it has represented in the Old Port over the decades,” owner Josh Miranda said in a press release. The Miranda Restaurant Group properties include Papi, Via Vecchia, Blyth & Burrows, and Off Track Pizza.

“I’m very grateful to our hardworking, dedicated and creative team at Henry’s who brought life back into this property and created a great dining and entertainment experience for our guests,” Miranda said. “And while our other restaurant and bar businesses are enduring, Henry’s is an example that no one is immune to the challenges this industry faces everyday.”

Henry’s was styled as a traditional American public house and tavern offering craft cocktails, elevated pub fare and live music. Press Herald columnist Angie Bryan praised Henry’s in September 2023 for both preserving and elevating the spirit of the landmark venue.

“Portland, Maine — like other cities around the US — sees restaurant closings and openings come in waves,” added Miranda, who in December was part of a panel discussion hosted by the Maine Real Estate & Development Association to address the “restaurant apocalypse” in Greater Portland. “People look for a reason why a restaurant closes and scatter a lot of opinions and conjecture, but in my experience, there is never one singular reason. I think that’s why those of us who have dedicated our careers and our passion in this industry — for better or worse — keep going.”

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