Days after saying it would close for good, Clover Food Lab lands a lifeline and reopens in Boston and Cambridge

Only days after appearing to be headed for closure, Clover Food Lab says a late investment has enabled it to reopen some of its restaurants.

What happened?

Lunch service is set to return on Tuesday, June 9, at Clover locations in Boston and Cambridge, reversing the company's May 26 announcement that all 11 restaurants and its meal-box delivery business would close.

According to Julia Wrin Piper, the company's CEO, the turnaround became possible when Clover completed an investment deal last week. She would not name the investor in her conversation with Boston.com, and the company later described the backer in an email as "mission-aligned" and attracted to the "differentiation of [Clover's] locally-sourced menu."

The company had been under financial pressure for months. Clover said inflation, narrow margins, and little room to increase prices had made its model unsustainable, and its search for a buyer, which began in March, did not produce a deal.

As it starts back up, Clover says it will concentrate on a smaller base. "We are intentionally focusing on shrinking our footprint to focus on our core communities," Wrin Piper said.

Why does it matter?

Clover's identity dates back to a food truck near MIT in 2008 and grew around vegetarian meals made with ingredients from local farms, as Boston.com reported.

That sourcing model keeps more food dollars closer to home while supporting regional agriculture and reducing the distance ingredients travel before they end up on someone's plate. In an industry where many chains rely on vast supply networks, Clover's approach stands apart.

Customer response also gave the company a lift after the closure news. Clover said it saw an "outpouring of love," along with heavier traffic and stronger sales in its last days before the planned shutdown.

What's being done?

For now, the company is concentrating on Boston and Cambridge. Its operating plan is still taking shape, but it will involve fewer stores and less of the infrastructure it built for expansion.

Clover also says its local-farm sourcing remains central to the brand. "It's never something we've compromised on," Wrin Piper said of sourcing.

That means the supply approach will stay in place as the chain reopens. "We will keep our commitment to sourcing from local farms in New England that you can drive to within a few hours."

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