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A Dunedin diner and ice cream parlour has closed “effective immediately”, leaving customers stunned and saddened.
In a post on social media, Patti’s & Cream announced with a “heavy heart” the lease on its George St diner had come to an abrupt end.
However, the post also teased “something new” was coming to North East Valley.
“We had to close effective immediately,” the post said.
“I would like to thank the massive team of people that helped us leave on such short notice on Tuesday evening.
“It’s been a massively exhausting, enjoyable, testing, dream-crushing, dream-filling four years running a restaurant in some of the most testing economic times I have ever known, in the centre of this city I love.”
The Patti’s & Cream Scoop Shop, in Eglinton Rd, would remain open.
“Every single customer, if you loved it, hated it, rated it, I appreciate you ALL.”
Patti’s & Cream owner Olive Tabor began her ice cream-making empire with a single white van in 2018.
She came up with the concept after travelling to the United States.
The George St diner opened in 2022.
That opportunity came in the form of the building’s landlord approaching her with an offer to take over the lease on the premises.
It meant a rapid scaling-up for Patti’s & Cream, taking the number of employees across the businesses from four full-time and four part-time staff up to seven full-time and “around six part-time staff”.
People took to social media to express their disappointment.
“Oh no!!! The diner was our favourite!!”, one person said.
Another said they came for dinner in the diner’s first week and had loved their subsequent visits.
“You will be sorely missed, but we are looking forward to the next adventure!!”
One person said Dunedin “needs this business”.
“Why is everything so hard??”