Brookfield’s Down the Hatch Has New Life, Former Owner Speaks Out on Sale

Down the Hatch has been a Brookfield institution for nearly 50 years, creating memories for people from the Greater Danbury area and beyond. So when word got out that owner Scott Parente was closing the doors and preparing to sell the iconic restaurant, social media went absolutely wild. People all over Connecticut had something to say about the news, and pretty much everyone had the same question: What happens to the Hatch now?

Since the announcement, we've all been waiting to find out what comes next.

Shortly after Scott announced that Down the Hatch would be closing, we reached out to him to get more information. Scott explained that selling a business like this would be a complicated and time-consuming process. He wasn't ready to sit down for an interview at the time, but he made us a promise: once all the T's were crossed and the I's were dotted, I-95 would be his first interview.

Well, that interview finally happened this morning.

Scott sat down with us and answered our questions about the process of finding and vetting potential buyers, the negotiations, what happens next, and, most importantly, the future of Down the Hatch.

Personally, I'm really excited that Down the Hatch will be open again at some point. We've made so many memories there over the years, and I-95 and Down the Hatch have always felt synonymous to me. We've both been around for nearly the same amount of time, and so much of what we've done over the years has worked perfectly with the way they do business. We also share a ton of clientele, so there's always been a natural connection between the two.

I'm pumped that the Hatch is coming back, but I will definitely miss one thing about the old place.

One of my favorite things to do when I first got to the Hatch was walk directly into the kitchen and ask Scott how he was doing. I did it because I already knew the answer.

Scott would inevitably go on a tirade about how all he does is work, how exhausted he is, and how he can't keep doing this anymore. And honestly, his frustration was always hilarious to me. There's something entertaining about watching your friends completely lose their shit.

We're going to miss Scott, but at least we know we'll be able to enjoy a hot Saturday afternoon on the patio at Down the Hatch again.

It's not over, folks.

Congratulations, Scott. We're going to miss you.

And hey, do you have $100 I can borrow? I'll definitely never pay you back.