Walla Walla Bread Company to permanently close doors at the end of May.

WALLA WALLA, Wash.-- A popular local small business in Walla Walla announced this week they're closing permanently at the end of the month. Apple Valley News Now talked to people in the downtown area about what that closure will mean for the community.

Walla Walla Bread Company has been a part of the Walla Walla community for over five years, but due to the cost to stay open they have decided to shut their doors to the community.

“I feel like we're really losing a piece of Walla Walla that was really important. Really important, the way people could experience the wine and just the really high level quality of baking and artisan breads next door. It'll be a huge loss for the community,” Amy Bonde, an employee with the store next door said.

“Very sad, it was a shock to me. I didn't know anything about it until a friend told me” Linda Schopp and Yolanda Lewellyn, Walla Walla community members said.

“Bummer because the menu’s really nice and as tourists visiting for the first time we were looking forward to eating lunch here multiple times. So I'm not sure where we'll eat lunch when we come back” Lisa Beaumont, a tourist said.

The absence of the Walla Walla bread company will not go unnoticed for local community members

“Every week when I started my shifts here in the week. I would get all the bread that I needed for the week and I'd take those home and that was our bread for the week and I usually would get my breakfast there, I get my lunch there too, it's gonna make a big impact on my life,” Bonde said.

“We don't have a good place to come and meet friends and have a good meal now, at least not at this one it will be an empty space again. And when we see the empty space, it'll make us think about here and what they represented when they were here,” Schopp and Lewellyn said.

The Walla Walla bread company posted on social media saying:

"This sad situation is the result of spiraling costs for all aspects of our business."

The community members Apple Valley News Now spoke with said they understand that struggle.

“Because restaurants are having a really hard time now and it's just another one going,” Schopp said.

“Well, you know businesses come and go here quite a lot in our downtown. It is expensive to run a business. It is really expensive and you're really at the whim of who's walking down the street. And will they come in,” Bonde said.

The last day the Walla Walla Bread Company will be open is Monday, May 31st.

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