The Loss Of A Business Leaves Many Sad

Imagine the loss of a friend. Now imagine the loss of a place where you and your friends gathered. 

Yesterday, I lost a good friend. Not a person, but a business that “permanently closed”. A place that I visited 3 plus times a week.  

It took the wind out of my sails. Perhaps because of my ties to the business. (I do understand this crisis has caused others to close. And I understand that more will close.) 

“Lee, this is not very positive.” 

No, the closing of a business with local ties isn’t. Someone else will come along at some point and take the space, and we will celebrate the newness, and we ought to. The close of a business is not always easy. It is often painful and disruptive to all.  

But when it does happen, I think it is important to celebrate the “life” they lived. (To this day, I still have people who reach out to me and remind me of a business I owned and the goodness it brought.) 

In the midst of my sadness over their closing, I am left with wonderful memories.  

I first entered their place at the invite of a friend. And never stopped going back. 3 times a week, I had scheduled meetings over coffee there. Each time I was greeted with a smile. And if I needed to have a “business” meeting with my wife or conversations with friends. It was my go-to.  

I could have gone to other places and did from time to time at the request of others. I liked the friendly staff and the clientele who showed up. After the morning rush, there would be tables with elderly men and women.  I confess, that each time I went in and stood in front of the coffee decanters, I thought this is the kind of place I could come to “forever”. 

Over the years, I have become more of a “loyalist” preferring to find places I like and not making a lot of changes. ? 

I am sad they have closed.  

When I saw the notice, I reached out to a friend and restauranteur. His words? “It sucks!” 

Yes, it does. 

I will miss sitting down, say “hi” to friends, and wishing, “good morning, young lady” to one of the owners or cashiers. I will miss the 91-year-old “young man”, and the sighting of friends and family here. 

This is emotional to me right now. I suspect it is to many others. What can we do? We can support the ones who are still open, still there, still open. Encourage them.  

I know my own business took a major hit when this began. I decided to help any business I could where I could. I know others adopted a similar thought process. It is not about essential or nonessential. It is about people. We are all in this together.  

Please take the time to support your local businesses when and where you can. 

To my friends at Elm City Bagel. I will miss you. I wish you the best in whatever endeavors you may take on. To the people of Keene, we lost a great business. Let’s not lose anymore. 

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Thank you! 

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Updated 7/21/24. For some reason this articles has been jumping up in numbers this week. I miss these people. And any time we lost a business in our communities, it is a big deal.