WELLSBORO - Two popular and well established businesses in the Northern Tier have been forced to shut down. “The U-shaped counter was a big thing in the morning from five am to nine o clock,” says Linda Krout.
Lenora Krout was forced to close her restaurant called krout's kitchen after more than two years.
“It's heart breaking. For one we're putting people out of jobs. We've made a lot of friends here "come as strangers, leave as friends" and a lot of people who cam in were on a daily basis,” says Krout.
Sunday was the last day this kitchen was bustling with workers and plates. Now all that is left are empty stove tops and shelves.
Krout has been renting space for her Tioga Street eatery since July of 2007. But recently the owners of the building were foreclosed on by the bank, leaving Krout no choice but to shut down.
Now she's scrambling to clean up and move out.
“Trying to find places to place inventory, cleaning everything out that belongs to us and making sure everything is emptied for whatever happens to the building next,” says Krout.
The Laurel Lanes Bowling Alley, next to Krout's Kitchen, was also forced to close after more than four decades in the business.
Borough officials say this will hurt the community.
“It's a substantial loss for your recreational night life for the people to do something after they get out of work. It's a big loss, both of them,” says Wellsboro Council President Mike Wood.
Borough officials are looking at new options for both businesses, but nothing has been finalized as of yet.
