Comings & Goings: Mansion Clam House Closes

The Mansion Clam House, 541 Riverside Ave., is closed. Multiple phone calls to the restaurant are answered with a recording that the mailbox is full and cannot take messages. The sign over the front door is gone and the shades are drawn. The ownership of the iconic restaurant in Westport’s Saugatuck section attracted notoriety in 2012 when a now former owner, Soozie Folsom, pleaded guilty to embezzling $1.3 million from three charitable foundations when working as a financial manager of a Westport-based accounting firm. (See WestportNow Aug. 1. 2013) According to the restaurant website, which makes no mention of it being closed, the restaurant has been there since 1958 on the site of a former “fried clam shack.” The property, which includes the adjoining Julian’s Brick Oven Pizza, changed hands in April for $2.1 million. The listing said the building was built in 1900. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com