Kamloops restaurant closes as ownership looks to transition to new endeavours

Underbelly goes belly up

Photo: Contributed

Underbelly restaurant at 120 Fifth Ave. is closed as its owners look to transition to new projects.

Underbelly restaurant in downtown Kamloops has closed its doors, as its owners have decided to look towards new opportunities.

The restaurant’s operations manager and part owner Maeghan Summers told Castanet Kamloops their last service was on New Years, but no staff lost their jobs, as they all also work at sister restaurant The Noble Pig.

“There were no layoffs, no employees cut,” Summers said.

She said the restaurant’s closure was a strategic decision to enable ownership to work on other projects.

“We are working towards some bigger goals, and so we had a choice to make, and we made the choice that now is the right time to close this particular business so we can start working on our next future endeavours,” Summers said.

Summers told Castanet that Underbelly was profitable and its closure was not a result of economic conditions.

She added that she cannot say yet what new plans are in the works, but hopes to be able to make an announcement in about three months.

Summers said ownership behind the company as a whole, The Noble Pig Group, is currently undergoing a transition.

“And it's a really exciting transition for some of the younger partners that have been a part of this business since the beginning,” Summers said.

While it’s sad to let the restaurant go, she said, some food favourites will live on at The Noble Pig.

“To say that we're not sad would be a lie. We are all really sad. There were some incredible things that we got to do in that space, incredible memories," she said.

The Fifth Avenue restaurant opened a little more than eight years ago as Forno on Fifth — a whiskey bar with Mediterranean cuisine, before changing its name to Underbelly, reflecting its connection with The Noble Pig.

On its website, Underbelly stated any outstanding Underbelly gift cards will be honoured at The Noble Pig.

“This is not a sad story but one that is a celebration of getting to do the things we appreciate,” a post on the restaurant’s website stated. “We want to deeply thank everyone for their support and being a part of this chapter in the Noble Pig Group. And for those of you who know us we are not ones to stop pushing forward so keep following us for what is next.”