Posted: Jul 13, 2012 8:17 PM by Robin O'Day - KPAX News
Updated: Jul 16, 2012 9:33 AM
MISSOULA- Another Missoula business falls victim to the slumping economy and announced its plans to close in a week. After 26 years, downtown favorite for burgers and shakes Del's Place Diner will be turning off the lights for good.
"We were hoping it was going to turn around and so forth. The summer time is when I make most of my business anyway, and this summer is the slowest it's been for the last three or four years, so obviously the trend is going in the wrong direction. We just simply had to bite the bullet and make the decision," says owner Del Hewlett.
Hewlett says he's seen a steady decline in business for the last five years and told us the downtown eatery has taken a hit with more fast food restaurants opening and North Reserve Street businesses vying for local dollars.
Three full-time employees will lose their jobs and several other part-time employees will not be clocking in anymore. Hewlett says many customers have asked if they are going to have a goodbye party on their last day, Friday, July 20. He says as of now, they are not planning to.
On Tuesday, Kmart also announced it is closing its Missoula location on Brooks Street after nearly 40 years in town.
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