The Last Blue Duck Standing Is Now Closed Too

Blue Duck, the BYOB in a Northeast Philly strip mall that quickly gained a following and expanded, has closed. Joe Callahan and chef Kris Serviss opened the restaurant in 2014. They branched out into Center City a few years later with Blue Duck on Broad and Ugly Duckling. And it looks like all three eateries are now shuttered.

After Eater received a tip earlier this week that the original Blue Duck, at 2859 Holme Avenue, was closed and several calls to the restaurant went unanswered, a rep at Delphi Property Group, which manages the row of shops, said the company wasn’t sure if it was closed or not. But Philly.com now reports that a “notice to vacate” from the sheriff’s office is posted on the front door and the restaurant owes money to a food distributor and a security company. Callahan did not return Eater’s messages.

Blue Duck got attention before it was even open for business when it won an award at the 2014 Philly Burger Brawl with its pork roll burger. It started serving shortly after with a menu of burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken, and duck fat fries.

The Center City version of the restaurant, Blue Duck on Broad, took over the former Bop space at 220 S. Broad Street in June 2017. That one had a liquor license, as did Ugly Duckling, which opened with breakfast, sandwiches, and dinner plates like chicken fried duck breast at 212 S. 11th Street a few months later.

In October 2017, Serviss left the company. He’s now at Northeast Sandwich Co. Ugly Duckling closed at the end of 2017, with Callahan saying there just weren’t enough customers. Blue Duck on Broad closed two weeks ago.

• Blue Duck Sandwich Co. Makes Its Debut in the Northeast
• Here Comes a Second Blue Duck, This Time with a Bar
• Surprise: Blue Duck Lost Its Chef Last Month
• The Ugly Duckling Is Already Closed
• Broad Street’s Blue Duck Is Already Closed After Just a Year
• Kris Serviss Lands on His Feet in the Northeast With a New Sandwich Shop and More [Philly Mag]
• Blue Duck in N.E. Philadelphia appears to be closed [Philly.com]