UNION COUNTY, Pa. — A restaurant in Union County that has been around for nearly five decades is getting ready to close its doors.
Owners of Country Cupboard, a restaurant and gift shop near Lewisburg, made the announcement at a news conference Monday morning.
"This has been an agonizing couple of weeks as we've debated what to do with Country Cupboard. It's been two years of going through this struggle," said co-owner and CEO Chris Baylor.
Baylor says many factors led to the decision, including pandemic restrictions, increased food costs, and trouble finding and keeping employees. Before the pandemic, Country Cupboard employed more than 300 people. Now that number is 140.
"That obviously impacted how we could stay open and how we would serve our guests. We've had limited services, we've closed certain days of the week. Sometimes we'd have to make announcements last-minute of closures just because we didn't have the staff."
Country Cupboard is known for its large buffet, bakery, greenhouse, and shops. The restaurant seats nearly 800 people.
"On some of our busiest days before the pandemic, like a holiday, we could serve 5,000 people. That's why you have an idea of the impact of the loss of volume and what it meant for employees."
Baylor tells Newswatch 16 some of those employees will be able to transfer to the company's other restaurant, Matty's Sporthouse Grill, or one of the company's two hotels.
Country Cupboard has been in the Baylor and Hamm families for nearly 50 years, and family members say this day is bittersweet.
"The employees that have helped to make it happen, we've been blessed," said co-owner Carole Hamm. "We hope that we've been a blessing to the community as well."
Brian McCreary and Shari Hackenberg heard about Country Cupboard closing and came for lunch, but the restaurant is closed on Mondays. They plan to come back soon.
"It was probably my favorite restaurant to come to eat, so I'm just really disappointed," McCreary said. "I've been coming here since I was a little child. It's such a great place to eat and wonderful food, and it's hard to believe that they're not going to be open anymore."
Hackenberg and her family enjoyed coming here on holidays.
"It's totally disappointing. It's been here forever. It's like a major landmark," Hackenberg said. "We'd all get together and come here and just have a nice relaxed meal. We didn't have to cook or clean. We could actually relax and enjoy the holiday."
"It makes me sad," Daisy Brouse said. 'It's been here for a very long time, and it was always a very good place to eat. It surprises me."
Brouse plans to eat at Country Cupboard this weekend. She will miss it.
"It has just about everything, cinnamon buns and all that good stuff."
The owners expect Country Cupboard to close by the end of February.