Business & Tech

Economic Downturn Forces Strawberry Moon Bakery to Close

Business will close for good on Saturday after 4 1/2 years as Ferndale's pizza/bakery/sandwich joint.

It was official through social media Thursday afternoon that , on the southwest corner of West Nine Mile and Allen Road, would be closing.

"Bad news, folks. We're closing up shop for good. Our last day will be Saturday," read the tweet from the all-in-one pizza/bakery/sandwich joint's Twitter account.

It didn't take much time for a customer to send condolences. By late afternoon Thursday, a bouquet of flowers sat in front of the register with a card that read: "To Jon and staff, Thank you for being my favorite lunch spot for the last four years."

"We just aren't making any money," owner Jon Glab said. "It's difficult and disappointing. We've had a good time in Ferndale. We just can't do it anymore."

Glab, an Oak Park resident, said the downturn in business started in 2008 "when it started for everyone."

Strawberry Moon's best year was also the same year Glab started to see what was coming. "(The year) 2008 was a great year for us, but in the fall of 2008, we started to see the downturn," he said. "We lost a lot of customers due to the recession that didn't come back."

Glab said they stuck it out in the hopes that it might turn around, but it hasn't.

"It's been rough," he said. "I haven't paid myself in a very long time."

Though there have been signs the economy was starting to turn around, Glab said  it still hasn't been enough to save his business. "It just hasn't been enough," he said. "We kept it going as long as we could."

Shutting down the business has been on Glab's mind for the last six to eight months, he said. Alhough closing two days after announcing the decision may seem quick, Glab said he just didn't see a point in putting it off. "I made the decision to do it, so might as well just do it," he said.

Although his business is closing, Glab isn't leaving. "I love Ferndale. I'll still be here. I just wish this would have worked out better," he said.  "I'll have to find a job now."

Strawberry Moon joins , Percussion World, Amore' Fashion and Rockin Soul on the list of downtown Ferndale businesses that have closed recently, .

"We're surprised as well as disappointed to see Strawberry Moon close," said Chris Hughes, communications director of the . "It's always sad to have a business you know and love (close)."

Hughes said she doesn't think the recent closures are a trend, especially because a few of the spaces have already been leased or sold.

"Club 9 has been sold and is expected to reopen as another club. Rockin Soul is closed, but the space has been leased. We've learned to stop hitting the panic button," she said. Timetables on these projects are unknown, Hughes said.

She also added that the old Nami Sushi Bar has been leased and will be opening as another restaurant, though details are unknown at this point.

"The bottom line is that businesses come and go, let's not panic," she said.

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