WARWICK –– The last of five Bickford’s Family Restaurants in Rhode Island closed Sunday afternoon, nine days before the company’s 10-year lease on its location at 1802 Post Rd. expires.

Bickford’s, which nine years ago had 62 restaurants in five New England states, now has 15 — 11 in Massachusetts, 2 in New Hampshire and 1 each in Connecticut and Vermont, regional manager Linda Milley said Monday.

The restaurant chain has intentionally downsized, due in part to the current economic conditions, Milley said. She suggested there would be no further contractions.

“I think we oversaturated some markets, and I think Rhode Island might be a good example of that,” Milley said. “It’s a small state, and we had five restaurants within a stone’s throw from each other, and I think that ended up being harmful.”

The last Rhode Island venue “was a well-run restaurant,” she stressed.

The five former Bickford’s locations in Rhode Island included three in Warwick and one each in Cranston and North Providence, Milley said.

The closest Bickford’s to Rhode Island now, is at 37 Oak St. in Brockton, Mass.

However, local fans could try the fare at another place in Rhode Island.

In a loose association with Bickford’s, one of the chain’s former district managers runs the North Side Grille, at 1460 Mineral Spring Ave. in North Providence, Milley said. Bickford’s rents the location and then sub-leases the space to the manager, she said.

The North Side Grille’s menu includes some of the traditional Bickford’s items, Milley says –– including the Oven Baked Apple Pancake, according to the restaurant’s breakfast menu.

kbramson@projo.com