VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A popular Virginia Beach restaurant is closing its doors temporarily.
This weekend, a lot of hungry people showed up at Mary’s Kitchen for a hot breakfast only to find a locked door.
The owner of the Virginia Beach staple says the business is shut down until spring because of the “current economic climate.”
"After much thought and heartfelt consideration, Mary’s will be closed for business until spring 2023," a sign on both entrances read. "Our business has been impacted by the current economic climate.”
Just blocks away from the Virginia Beach oceanfront, Mary’s has been a staple for loyal customers like Mike Caine for decades.
“Love the place. Been eating here 40 years," Caine said. "I’m ready to run maybe to go down to IHOP or something like that I hope they’re not closed down either.”
Jennie Veenner owns the hair salon Shear Class which is in the same shopping plaza as Mary’s. She said the closure is even affecting her business.
"It takes a lot of foot traffic away from the area," Veenner explained. “It’s just an icon. It’s been there forever.”
She said she’s also a longtime customer of the breakfast hotspot.
“It's kind of emotional," Veenner said. "I went to Mary’s when this part of the building was a gallery. I’ve been going there all my life.”
Veenner and Caine said as business owners, it hasn’t been easy staying open. They say the economy needs a boost.
“Oh yeah it really does need a rebound," Caine said. "Feel it in all small businesses even a restaurant or I own a swimming pool company - Bay Colony Pools - it’s even hard for me also.”
The sign on Mary’s says: “The decision to temporarily close was extremely difficult." The sign thanks customers for the "many years" of support.
“First time ever ever seen it not be open - especially this time of year I was just coming in for a good breakfast," Caine said.
We reached out to the owner of Mary’s but haven’t heard back.