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Parker Station closes for good
One sign says: "Sorry, We are closed! Thanks for the business the last 4 years!" Another reads: "Seized by Douglas County Treasurer for non-payment of commercial, personal property tax."
By By: Chris Michlewicz
One sign says: "Sorry, We are closed! Thanks for the business the last 4 years!" Another reads: "Seized by Douglas County Treasurer for non-payment of commercial, personal property tax."
Parker Station Grille and Brewing Co. had its doors closed for good Oct. 4 to the surprise of employees and town staff. Sharon Jones, the county treasurer, said Parker Station owed $17,000 in back taxes and had been notified several times about the impending closure.
But owner Carol Van Gytenbeek said she decided to close Parker Station for financial reasons. The influx of national restaurant chains to Parker has caused her business to dwindle steadily over the past few years.
"I don't have deep pockets and can't always keep up," Van Gytenbeek said. "I'm just a small business owner. I don't have any other stores to pull revenue from."
The owner said it was becoming difficult to pay bills and the restaurant could not legally operate without insurance.
The Race to the Taste bicycle race on Sept. 25 cost Parker Station approximately $5,000 because Mainstreet was closed for most of the day and getting to the restaurant was difficult, Van Gytenbeek said.
Parker Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dawna Callahan said after the race that the closure of Mainstreet hurt some of the downtown businesses and the chamber would look to restructure the course next year.
Van Gytenbeek said the $5,000 she lost that day would have helped her pay the insurance bill.
"I would think that they would know (the chamber is) a resource for them. There are things that can be resolved with a group of people working on it," said Tracy Herman, communications coordinator for the Parker Chamber, referring to the financial difficulties.
Herman said she was surprised to learn Parker Station, a place where chamber membership meetings were held, closed virtually without notice.
Some employees showed up for work that Monday only to find the restaurant was closed. Van Gytenbeek said she attempted to notify all of her employees of the closure before they came to work. Attempts to reach former employees were unsuccessful.
The owner said she understands Parker is a growing community and its residents need a selection.
She noticed some customers who usually went to Parker Station two or three times per week started coming only once a week.
"We were not afraid of the competition," Van Gytenbeek said. "Our food and service would stand up to anybody. It just came down to financial reasons. I hope the community will start to rally around small business owners."
Contact Chris Michlewicz at
cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.net.
Parker Station Grille and Brewing Co. had its doors closed for good Oct. 4 to the surprise of employees and town staff. Sharon Jones, the county treasurer, said Parker Station owed $17,000 in back taxes and had been notified several times about the impending closure.
But owner Carol Van Gytenbeek said she decided to close Parker Station for financial reasons. The influx of national restaurant chains to Parker has caused her business to dwindle steadily over the past few years.
"I don't have deep pockets and can't always keep up," Van Gytenbeek said. "I'm just a small business owner. I don't have any other stores to pull revenue from."
The owner said it was becoming difficult to pay bills and the restaurant could not legally operate without insurance.
The Race to the Taste bicycle race on Sept. 25 cost Parker Station approximately $5,000 because Mainstreet was closed for most of the day and getting to the restaurant was difficult, Van Gytenbeek said.
Parker Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dawna Callahan said after the race that the closure of Mainstreet hurt some of the downtown businesses and the chamber would look to restructure the course next year.
Van Gytenbeek said the $5,000 she lost that day would have helped her pay the insurance bill.
"I would think that they would know (the chamber is) a resource for them. There are things that can be resolved with a group of people working on it," said Tracy Herman, communications coordinator for the Parker Chamber, referring to the financial difficulties.
Herman said she was surprised to learn Parker Station, a place where chamber membership meetings were held, closed virtually without notice.
Some employees showed up for work that Monday only to find the restaurant was closed. Van Gytenbeek said she attempted to notify all of her employees of the closure before they came to work. Attempts to reach former employees were unsuccessful.
The owner said she understands Parker is a growing community and its residents need a selection.
She noticed some customers who usually went to Parker Station two or three times per week started coming only once a week.
"We were not afraid of the competition," Van Gytenbeek said. "Our food and service would stand up to anybody. It just came down to financial reasons. I hope the community will start to rally around small business owners."
Contact Chris Michlewicz at
cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.net.
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