A Spartanburg restaurant is closing, the victim of a continued drop in business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We did not want to ever make a post like this, but we must say that this COVID-19 pandemic has beat us," owners Sedrick "Chef P" Posey and Autumn Cooper Ballew wrote on their Herbs 'N Eats Facebook page.
"With a saddened heart, we must post to you all that we are having to shut our doors for good."
The restaurant's last day will be Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is located at 827 Union St.
Last March, the owners told the Herald-Journal business dropped 50 percent shortly after the coronavirus outbreak prompted Gov. Henry McMaster to order all bars and restaurants to close in-house service.
More: Herb’N Eats puts down roots on Union Street
The eatery was one of several in the Upstate that moved to take-out or delivery in order to survive.
Since then, the governor has allowed dine-in service to return to restaurants and bars, with certain face mask and social distancing restrictions.
Loan briefly helps
Monday, Ballew said the business did get a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan several months ago to cover payroll for four employees.
"It helped for a month, but then it was gone," she said. "We're a small business with eight tables and not very deep pockets."
"Business never really picked back up where it was enough to stay open," Ballew added. "The last three months were the worst, even with the dining room open.
'Scared to come out'
She said lunchtime was the eatery's bread and butter.
"That's what we needed to get back – lunches, but we never got that back. With everybody working from home, they don't go out to lunch.
"We never had an issue with masks or distancing, but the public is still scared to come out. There comes a point where you have to make a decision – how long can you hang on."
More: Herb ’N Eats plans new brick-and-mortar restaurant on Union Street
Ballew said she and Posey have made many friendships over the past few years, and are grateful for their business and support.
Jenna Fawcett of Spartanburg organized organized a GoFundMe page with a $3,000 goal to help the owners meet expenses. Through Monday morning, $824 was raised from 20 donors.
"Unfortunately, COVID-19 has taken its toll and they're being forced to close down the business they've built together from the ground up," Fawcett wrote. "Holidays are right around the corner, and they've put everything they have into this business to keep it afloat."
Future plans
Meanwhile, Ballew said she hopes Herb'N Eats will be able to reopen someday.
"We plan to come back, but COVID is not something we can compete with," she said.
Ballew and Posey launched their mobile Herb'N Eats venture with a food truck in 2017, featuring melted Gouda cheese and bacon smothered burgers, along with macaroni bites and fries covered in custom spice blends.
More: New food truck Herb ’N Eats hits the streets of Spartanburg
They opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Union Street in early 2019, near the Mary Black Rail Trail.
Among their top sellers have been the Trifecta Burger -- a Hereford beef patty covered in smoked bacon and Gouda cheese sauce, American cheddar, arugula, tomato and red onions; and the aloha chicken quesadilla, featuring honey teriyaki grilled chicken, grilled pineapples and grilled red onions along with cheddar and jack cheeses and fresh cilantro.
The Link LonkNovember 30, 2020 at 11:33PM
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COVID blamed as Spartanburg eatery Herb 'N Eats to close - Spartanburg Herald Journal
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