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Ugly Duckling closes after less than 4 months

No fowl play. Just slow business, its owner says.

Ugly Duckling, 212 S. 11th St., in September.
Ugly Duckling, 212 S. 11th St., in September.Read moreMICHAEL KLEIN / Staff

Ugly Duckling — the comfort-fooder that opened on 11th Street near Thomas Jefferson University Hospital less than four months ago — closed over the holidays.

"I don't know what more I could have done to get more people to come through the doors," owner Joe Callahan Jr. said. "Sometimes you have to cut your losses. We'll put our time and energy into the two places we have."

Ugly Duckling, in a narrow storefront at 212 S. 11th St., had a liquor license but no bar.

As such, it seemed to fall between the quacks of the rest of the Duck empire, which includes the original Blue Duck BYOB in Northeast Philadelphia and the newer, bar-oriented Blue Duck on Broad.