After nearly five years in business, the New Town location of Green Leafe Café’s last day in business is Dec. 31.
According to owner Glenn Gormley, a combination of New Town not living up to its potential, the recession and some bad business decisions led to the shutdown that will put up to 35 to 40 people out of a job, though Gormley said he hopes that some of the employees can transfer to the Williamsburg location of Green Leafe café.
“I pictured New Town to be a local downtown,” Gormley said. “New Town went away from mom and pops midstream. A lot of big players came in and crushed the little guys.”
Gormley said people at New Town have been nice, but business never took off the way he thought it would. He said there are no plans to close the Williamsburg location or Green Leafe Café’s catering business.
“I’ve got to walk away from something that I’ve put my heart and soul into since 2006,” Gormley said. “It’s rough. I feel bad for the employees and for the local customers.”
Gormley now plans to sell the space that is currently occupied by Green Leafe Café to another restaurant, though there is no indication of any potential buyers.
The announcement of the closure comes after more than a week of rumors that a shutdown was imminent. The phone at the New Town location has been disconnected for days, and workers were observed removing restaurant equipment throughout the past week.
