The Melting Pot in Poughkeepsie closes after 'financial challenges'

The Melting Pot in the Town of Poughkeepsie faced "financial challenges" which resulted in its closure, according to Laura Mulhern, a spokesperson for the company.

The franchise restaurant, which specialized in various types of fondue, announced that it would be closing its Poughkeepsie Galleria location "indefinitely," according to its website.

"We regret to announce that The Melting Pot of Poughkeepsie has closed for business indefinitely as of Sunday, March 26," the website read.

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There are no plans to open another franchise in the area, Mulhern said.

"With the financial challenges we faced in the Poughkeepsie market, Poughkeepsie does not currently meet our targets for brand expansion at this time," she said. "We will continue to evaluate the Poughkeepsie market in the future for potential opportunities."

A representative for the Poughkeepsie Galleria did not return a request for comment.

The restaurant operated out of the Poughkeepsie Galleria for more than seven years. The Melting Pot was empty Monday afternoon, and signs on the restaurant's entrance repeated the message on the website.

With this closure, the next closest franchise location is about 50 miles south in White Plains. The Melting Pot has 120 restaurants in the U.S., according to its website.

The sudden closure brought mixed reactions from the community. Sarah O'Connor-Roa, of Poughkeepsie, said The Melting Pot didn't have the appeal to attract repeat customers.

"It's a gimmick — fun to do once," she said.

With the closure of another Town of Poughkeepsie restaurant, some residents speculated as to what business would work in the space. Doretha Lynnette, a Poughkeepsie resident, said she wanted to see a non-franchise open up in the space.

"(I) hope they put a locally owned and operated business in its place," she said.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW