| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2010 1:56 pm |
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Local News 
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The Hub, a Snohomish institution, closes After 50 years, the last Pantherburgers get flipped today, to the disappointment of the restaurant’s loyal fans SNOHOMISH — The Hub will close today, ending the restaurant’s half-century run in town.Many loyal customers have been visiting the spot one last time, to eat a final Pantherburger and say goodbye to the beloved wait staff. “They come in, they’re crying,” waitress Haily Clemans said. “They’re really upset it’s closing. It’s been a rough week.” Owner Steve Dana said the restaurant ran into trouble in 2008, when the economy began to falter. People started staying home to eat. “Even though I’m a casualty of that, I’m OK with it,” said Dana, who plans to run for the state Legislature. “If we can change people’s habits for the good, for the long term, then it will be worth it.” The restaurant has been in the Dana family for 50 years. It was purchased by Newell and Shirley Dana in 1960, when it operated as a small drive-in. Steve Dana worked some of his earliest jobs at The Hub, peeling potatoes in the kitchen at age 10 and serving burgers as a teenager. He took over the restaurant in 1985 and oversaw an expansion of the dining room and menu in 2003. The restaurant, which now employees 17 people, slipped into the red in the past year and a half. Some of its regular diners and employees held out hope that a new buyer would save the location. That hasn’t happened. The property remains for sale, Dana said. The decision to close was difficult, he said. “My customers are my friends, so I don’t have any cold detachment,” he said. He picked today as The Hub’s final day for practical reasons: It falls near the end of his fiscal year and a pay period. He announced the looming closure in January, so customers would have time to redeem gift certificates and say their farewells. “We stretched it out as far as we could go,” he said. Some customers were still finding out about The Hub’s last day earlier this week. Steve and Frankie Burris started coming to The Hub a year and a half ago and quickly became regulars. They found out today would be the restaurant’s final day before ordering an early dinner on Wednesday. “Shoot,” Frankie Burris said. “That’s close to what I was going to say,” her husband said. Others were braced for the closure. Carey Gasper, 78, has been an on-and-off-again regular during The Hub’s 50-year run, he said. He wasn’t sure where he would take his family to eat after it closes. “We’ll have to look around,” he said. “This is the only one of its type in town.” Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com. Say goodbye to The Hub The Hub will mark its final day today. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the restaurant, 928 Ave. D, Snohomish. |
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