Newport's Scales & Shells sold to Heritage Restaurant Group

NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — Scales & Shells, a beloved Thames Street seafood restaurant, will soon change hands.

The Heritage Restaurant Group announced Thursday that it has acquired the Newport restaurant, which was originally founded in 1987 by the Ackerman family.

Scales & Shells will continue to operate as is through the end of the year, according to the Heritage Restaurant Group, which is also referred to as Audrain Hospitality.

The Heritage Restaurant Group said Scales & Shells will temporarily close and "undergo a thoughtful renovation" in January 2026 as it "transitions to an elevated seafood concept that deepens the location's longstanding commitment to fresh, quality seafood."

The goal of the renovation will be to "honor both the past and future" of the Thames Street mainstay.

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