Coronavirus claims another restaurant: CJ's Crabhouse in Owings Mills

CJ's Crabhouse Restaurant and Grill, an icon in the Owings Mills area that has been open more than four decades, shut its doors after struggling financially because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement came as a shock to its loyal customers as they read about it on social media.

THE RESTAURANTS LONG HISTORYANOTHER BALTIMORE AREARESTAURANT INSTITUTION CLOSINGDOWN BECAUSE OF COVID-19 THEOWNERS TELLING ME AFTER 43 YEARSIN BUSINESS AND LIMITED.ONES COMING IN THEY HAD NOCHOICE BUT TO CLOSE DOWN THEHEARTBROKEN THAT SUMS UP HOWOWNER TERRY SANDERS AND HISBROTHER JERRY FEEL ABOUT THECLOSING OF CJ’S CRAB HOUSE NAMEDFOR THEIR PARENTS CHARLIE ANDGENE.YOU’RE 43 YEARS, YOU KNOW, WEWEATHERED YOU A LOT OF DIFFERENTECONOMIES AND THIS ONE WE JUSTCOULDN’T GET OVER CJ’S BEEN APRETTY HAPPENING PLACE.SINCE IT OPENED BACK IN 1978BECOMING THE FAVORITE SPOT OFALL SORTS OF CELEBRITIES FROMOPRAH TO TONY DANZA ANDCOUNTLESS ORIOLES AND RAVENS,BUT IN MARCH WHEN COVID HIT ANDSEAFOOD PRICES SKYROCKETEDSANDERS SAYS THE WALLS STARTEDCLOSING IN TRYING TO HOLD THEPRICES AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLEAND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO GETOPEN.ADA PERCUSSION MY JOB WAS FUNFOR A WHILE.DID LAST SIX MONTHS IT’S NOT.AND I USED TO LOOK FORWARD TOCOMING IN HERE AND NOW I WANT TOCOME IN HERE.IT’S JUST YOU OVERWHELMED WITHSTRESS.IT’S VERY DIFFICULT.SO WEDNESDAY SANDERS AND HISBROTHER CALLED LAST CALLSHUTTING THE DOORS FOREVER.THESE ARE OUR FAMILY.WE’VE GROWN UP WITH THESE BOYSMY KIDS GREW UP HERE.ALL THESE KIDS GREW UP HERE.WE LOVE THIS PLACE.THIS IS REALLY HARD FOR ALL OFUS THURSDAY STAFF MEMBERS MANYOF WHOM HAVE BEEN THERE MORETHAN 30 YEARS REMEMBERED THEGOOD TIMES.I’D ALWAYS WOULD TELL MYCUSTOMERS.I WALKED IN THE DOOR WHEN I WASTWO YEARS OLD HAD NO IDEA WHAT IWAS WALKING INTO BEST THING THATHAPPENED TO ME.I LOVE YOU.CJ’S CRAB HOUSE.THE MEMORIES CAN NEVER BEFORGOTTEN, BUT IT’S SO HARD TOSAY.GOODBYE.I’M HEARTBROKEN.MY BROTHERS ARE BROKEN.AND YOU WE’LL GO ON AND WE ASKEDTHE OWNERS IF RELOCATING.THE RESTAURANT COULD BE APOSSIBILITY HERE.THEY SAID IN THESE UNCERTAINTIMES.THAT JUST WASN’T POSSIBLE INOWINGS MILLS.