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Leesburg's newest victim: Court House Deli & Grill closes its doors
Tony Roddy, owner of Court House Deli & Grill in Leesburg, sweated through a busy lunch rush June 5. Then, at 3 p.m., he closed his doors to the public for the last time.
He and his wife, Carole Shafer, had made the decision just that morning after talking with the landlord.
“The bottom line is we are not making money,” Roddy said. “We drew a line [a while back], and we have been paying out of our personal pocket. We have hit that line. It's better to get out for free than to stay and deal with attorneys later.”
Roddy said that he and his wife had an inkling last September that there was a possibility of closing up shop at 6 W. Market St.
“Last September, we knew things were going bad, with the mortgage crisis,” Roddy said. “And we took steps. We cut back on staff and changed vendors.”
The two started to seriously think about closing down in May because there had been no significant turn-around in business.
Roddy would see people who used to be regulars pass by the restaurant, and he would cordially ask why they weren't stopping by as often.
“A lot of responses were people saying that they were being careful with their money and bringing lunch to work,” he said.
The inconsistent rush hours are what caused the deli and grill to have to lock up.
Anyone who would enter the small shop during the typical weekday lunchtime, between noon and 2 p.m., would be see a line of customers, but one lunch rush a day was not enough.
“We need to get two to three turnarounds a day to hit our sales target,” Roddy explained. “But we would get one fill, and some days not even that.”
He added, “Some days it felt like we were getting kicked in the teeth, and some days we would just be looking at each other.”
He also pointed out that businesses seem to be hunkering down during these hard economic times.
Last summer Roddy said Court House's catering business was catering approximately two to three events a day. This summer, he only had a couple a week.
“We have learned an awful lot about running a business,” Roddy said. “It was a heck of an education. We met some fantastic people and we are grateful for all the regular customers who made this a wonderful experience.”
He added, “It has been rewarding, fun, interesting and a little aggravating.”
As he locked up his door for the last time, Roddy said that if he was given the opportunity he would open another business in Leesburg, but not anytime soon.
“It has been a roller coaster,” Roddy said. “There has been a lot of anxiety and sleepless nights, but once we made the decision – a lot of relief.”
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