By Pete Smith

The Fox and Hound Pub and Grille couldn’t survive the recent reconstruction along U.S. 31 and has decided to shut its doors for good.

“This was strictly a business decision,” Fox and Hound company spokesman Rick Van Warner said, citing the cumulative effects of a season of horrifically bad weather and a tough economy.

The restaurant closed Feb. 19, that despite altering its format to go non-smoking in September.

Van Warner said the decision was based on sustained performance at the location and not on recent events.

“It’s a tough business, and the team there worked hard to turn things around,” he said.

The restaurant’s three full-time managers and 40 hourly employees were all given severance pay based on their length of service, Van Warner said.