Sqirl Was Keeping Busy During Coronavirus But Now it’s Closing Altogether

Owner Jessica Koslow is closing her Silver Lake-adjacent restaurant Sqirl on Friday, with no immediate plans to reopen until the novel coronavirus pandemic has (at least in some sense) subsided. The upcoming closure follows a slew of other notable shutdowns in recent days, from Echo Park Japanese restaurant Konbi to Nate’n Al’s in Beverly Hills.

Per Instagram, Koslow says that Sqirl — notorious for its around-the-block lines and sunny daytime appeal — has remained busy by transitioning hard into delivery, takeout, and bulk goods like their already-beloved jams. The post says:

We’ve survived these last two weeks thanks our staff’s professionalism, hustle, and guts. We’ve been busy from open to close. We’ve been filling jam orders at holiday-high levels. Your support and goodwill have kept most of our staff employed and our doors open.

Still, the stress of the current moment seems to have caught up with Koslow, when dining in is banned (takeout and delivery are still allowed), when apps continue to charge large fees for their services, and with social distancing hard or downright impossible in many of LA’s kitchens, including at Sqirl. “These are trying and stressful times,” the post reads. Eater reached out to Koslow for more on her decision to close, but so far has not heard back.

For now, Sqirl is open for takeaway and delivery until this coming Friday, April 3. Koslow says that online orders for jam and other pantry staples will continue to be fulfilled after that, but the restaurant menu is no longer available. When Sqirl, and dozens of other LA-area restaurants return post-COVID-19, is anyone’s guess so far.

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