WYOMING, Ohio (WKRC) - For 16 years Half Day Cafe sat proudly on the corner of Wyoming Avenue as a cornerstone in this community. The restaurant now bears signs and a heartfelt note that reads closed.

Regulars will have to find somewhere new to go.

"I was really surprised. I've been coming here since the Hipsleys opened it. She was working, catering at the church I was going to and I was really excited. I am very sad," said customer Sharon Petko-Bunnie.

Dale Hipsley and his wife opened the cafe in 2006. His kids grew up in the building. He remembers the early days well.

"When we came in here years ago this window wasn't here. When we opened up all this natural light poured in," said Hipsley.

He says the pandemic took a toll. Plenty of customers have come in, but in the last two years finding employees became impossible.

"Last week I had banners in front of the cafe saying cooks needed yesterday. I don't know how else to say. If I don't have cooks I can't have a restaurant," said Hipsley.

Wyoming has a small business district. So when something happens to one of them they all feel it. Sarah Aschliman owns Wyoming Community Coffee. She says the small businesses here are like family.

"It was a super surprise, I never saw it coming this quickly. Half Day is always the place whenever my kids are off school where we went to get pancakes. It was a really special thing," said Aschliman.

From people stopping by to to an outpouring of support on social media.. The Hipsleys just want to say thank you.

"It's been great. It's been validating. The posts have been lovely. People have said lovely things to us," said Dale Hipsley.