06/15/2026
💯 It’s heartbreaking to see another small business forced to close its doors. Sadly, this is becoming far too common. If Rochester had stronger support for local small businesses, many of us may still be thriving today. Between rising costs and extremely high lease rates — not just downtown, but across the entire city — it’s becoming increasingly difficult for small businesses to survive, even when they work incredibly hard to serve the community. Supporting local truly matters. 😢
Rochester is very good at showing up when a business announces they are closing.
And trust me, we are grateful. Truly.
But I also hope people understand this — small businesses need support while we are still here, not only when we are almost gone.
The first week after we announced our closing, people came in, shared, posted, and showed love. Now we are in the second week, and the noise is already getting quiet.
That is the hard truth for many small businesses in town.
We don’t need support only at the end. We need consistent support to keep going.
Support the restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and local businesses while they are still open. Go before it becomes “I wish I went more.”
Because once it’s gone, it’s gone.
And trust me… more small businesses will disappear if the support only comes when it’s too late.
We appreciate Rochester. We really do. But please remember — continuous support matters.
