On Sunday Feb. 21, the Geneseo Family Restaurant (GFR) served the Geneseo community one final time. Teddy Tsoukalos, owner of GFR for 23 years, spoke on his difficult decision to close in an interview with Livingston County News.
“It’s the pandemic that got me,” Tsoukalos said. “I do not take no loans and I thought I could pull out of it but I just can’t … Ever since the pandemic hit, it has been downhill.”
Even though the business was suffering after the costs of temporarily closing in the beginning of the pandemic and later re-opening while following CDC restaurants guidelines, GFR’s prices remained affordable. Tsoukalos stayed true to his Geneseo community and provided good, cheap meals up until his last day in business.
News of the restaurant’s closing caused an uproar in the Geneseo community—and understandably so. The restaurant offered Geneseo students and family a friendly atmosphere to go to the morning after a night out or just to share a meal with loved ones. Due to its prime location on Main Street, GFR was within walking distance from the campus. This was perfect for on- and off-campus students.
Even many Geneseo alumni were heartbroken by the news. One alumna, Caroline Gill, started a GoFundMe page to provide Tsoukalos and his staff some financial support while they figure out their next sources of income. In less than a week, the GoFundMe raised $7,325, most of which came from the Geneseo community.
In their time of need, it wasn’t the government that helped cushion the blow of the pandemic, but rather it was members of the community who were equally suffering losses. GFR is one of a few businesses that Geneseo has lost as a result of financial strains. Other local businesses that were forced to permanently close include Gordmans and Pizza Hut. The pandemic has led to the permanent closing of a substantial amount of small businesses in America, and it will lead to more if either the government doesn’t provide some financial relief, or the community doesn’t come together to increase business.
Although GFR will be dearly missed, all the memories created within the restaurant will always remain with the Geneseo community. As for the small businesses that remain, we must do our part and support local businesses whenever possible so we can prevent more tragedies such as this one to occur.