LEBANON — Growth in the city of Lebanon is happening quickly with new investors, businesses and construction.
But with growth, comes change, and some of that change is forcing long time businesses to move away.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Lebanon is Westside cafe. For 65 years, the staple was serving home cooked meals to people in and around Lebanon.
Until this week; the cafe is now closed after the building was listed for sale.
Yvette Fisher, the owner of the cafe, says closing down is not what she wanted to do.
"I think it's sad to see it go. If there was any way to make it stay, that'd be good," Fisher said.
On Wednesday, the crew began packing up everything, including their memories.
"Customers that are no longer with us, customers that I had back then that were very encouraging, offering advice all the time," Fisher said.
The closure is all part of the changes downtown Lebanon are seeing.
The city says the changes speak to the bigger picture of growth the once small town is seeing.
"What do we want our community to look like 5-to-10 years from now, what types of investments do we need to make to encourage that?" Ben Bontrager, planning director for the City of Lebanon, said.
Bontrager said they have to find a balance between all the businesses downtown, but adds small businesses are the backbone of a community.
"We want to make sure that we're balancing our investments to help some of our existing residents and commercial areas, but then also investing in some of those new projects," Bontrager said.
It's the same recognition of change the owner of Modern Barbershop, Courtney Taylor, saw.
"You gotta try and make the best of it and embrace it. Because it's going to happen whether you want it to or not. I feel like the more you bury your head in the sand, the harder it is on you," Taylor said.
Taylor's barbershop used to sit in the building right next to the diner.
The Modern shop had been in the location off Main Street in downtown for 50 years. But when the barbershop's building was put up for sale, Taylor decided to pack up and move.
She hopes to keep the decades old feel to the new space, with photos of the old shop and equipment used posted on the walls.
While change can be hard to accept, Taylor says it's vital in small businesses to succeed moving forward.
"You just have to embrace it," Taylor said.
Her hope, and Fisher's, is that the cafe will soon find a place to call home again.
The Westside Cafe is hoping to operate out of the American Legion while they work to find a new space.
