After close to 18 years in business, Cozy Bay Seafood Cafe will be closing its doors at the end of the summer.
Owners Pam Johnson and Michelle Stephen made the decision to close after their landlord told them he would not renew their lease.
The landlord phoned them in late May to tell them he had plans in the works for a new business to go into the location, and as a result would not renew Cozy Bay香蕉视频直播檚 lease when it expired at the end of August.
Johnson and Stephen asked for a one-month extension so they could continue to operate throughout the summer tourist season.
They are puzzled by their landlord香蕉视频直播檚 decision not to renew the lease, since the business has been thriving and successful for many years.
香蕉视频直播淲hy us?香蕉视频直播� Stephen asked. 香蕉视频直播淭here are so many empty buildings in Summerland.香蕉视频直播�
Johnson added that the business, which has operated in that location since December, 2000, is operating efficiently and successfully.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e so well-tuned as a crew,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e know how to run that business in that location.香蕉视频直播�
However, Brad Rauer, the owner of the building, said the terms of the lease required Johnson and Stephen to contact him by the end of February if they wished to renew the lease. This did not happen, he said.
香蕉视频直播淚 honoured the lease that came with the property,香蕉视频直播� Rauer said. 香蕉视频直播淚 did what was legal and what was moral.香蕉视频直播�
He has plans to set up a nano-brewery in the building, providing light menu items and craft beer.
This will be a start-up local business, not a relocation of an existing business, he added.
A rezoning application to allow brewing and distilling as a site-specific use for the property will come before municipal council.
Rauer said Cozy Bay could relocate to any of a number of vacant spaces within the downtown area.
香蕉视频直播淭here are other places they can go if they choose to do so,香蕉视频直播� he said.
But Johnson and Stephen said relocating Cozy Bay would be extremely difficult and expensive for them.
The summer months are their busiest time of the year and as a result, they do not have the time needed to make the necessary negotiations on a new restaurant location.
In addition, the costs of moving are prohibitive.
香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 have the financial means,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e already had to spend money to upgrade once.香蕉视频直播�
In early 2013, the restaurant was closed for several months following a flood.
Johnson and Stephen completed the extensive and costly repair work. This incident affected the restaurant.
However, if funding were received to cover the costs of a move, 香蕉视频直播渨e couldn香蕉视频直播檛 say no,香蕉视频直播� Johnson added.
Near the beginning of this year, Johnson and Stephen listed the Cozy Bay business for sale as they were considering their options. However, they took the listing off the market within a couple of months.
The news of the closure has been difficult for staff and customers.
The restaurant has a base of regular customers from the community and region, as well as others who will travel to Summerland for the restaurant.
Johnson said families of some customers have even chosen to have celebration of life services at the restaurant.
Johnson and Stephen said their staff have been devastated by the news. The seven employees are like a family, they say. Some of the employees have even offered to work for them for free in order to complete the summer tourist season.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 how close we香蕉视频直播檝e become,香蕉视频直播� Stephen said. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been very blessed.香蕉视频直播�
Customers have also been shocked by the news of the closure.
香蕉视频直播淓verybody香蕉视频直播檚 really upset about this,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said.
Comments on the Cozy Bay Facebook page express disappointment with the decision.
香蕉视频直播淲e need to keep this gem,香蕉视频直播� one commenter said. 香蕉视频直播淵our shop will be missed with all your cheery faces,香蕉视频直播� said another. 香蕉视频直播淐ozy Bay has been a wonderful place to go for incredibly great fish and chips,香蕉视频直播� another wrote.
In addition, a petition to Summerland council has been set up online at Change.org, asking that the proposed brewery not take over the Cozy Bay location. By late Tuesday morning, the petition had more than 200 names.
For the rest of the summer, the restaurant will be open Tuesday to Saturday. It will close its doors permanently at the end of business hours on Saturday, Sept. 1.
