A third anchor restaurant at Ward Centre plans to close, leaving the two-story complex long known for eating establishments with only two major restaurant tenants.

E&O Trading Co., a Southeast Asia-themed restaurant that opened in 2005, said it plans to close after serving its last customers on Saturday night.

The 175-seat restaurant has 42 employees who will be affected by the shutdown.

Kenwei Chong, a partner in E&O, said the restaurant was hurt by a combination of slower business linked to the weakening economy, delays by the retail complex to expand parking and a general drop in foot traffic at Ward Centre he attributes to the closure of two neighboring restaurants.

"After our third year, I thought we had earned our stripes and tested our mettle," Chong said. "But we got hit with the perfect storm."

E&O's impending end follows the shutdown of previous Ward Centre tenants Brew Moon earlier this month after more than 10 years in business, and Compadres Bar & Grill in September after nearly 25 years.

The three closures leave Ward Centre with two restaurant anchors, Ryan's Grill and Kaka'ako Kitchen. Smaller food tenants including Kua 'Aina Sandwich also are at Ward Centre, which plans to add a Taco Del Mar in July.

There are more major restaurants at the broader Ward Centers retail village that includes Ward Entertainment Center and Ward Warehouse in Kaka'ako, though Ward Centre had long been known for its restaurants.

E&O opened in 2005 in the former space of A Pacific Café that had been empty since late 2000.

The company was established in 1997 in San Francisco by Christopher R. Hemmeter, son of the late Hawai'i luxury hotel developer Christopher B. Hemmeter, and had expanded to four locations. Three E&O restaurants in California will continue in business, Chong said.