After 19 years in downtown Squamish, Yiannis Restaurant co-owners Donna and Chris Maroulis were forced to close their doors on Sunday (July 17) for the last time. Not because they wanted to, but because they had to.
"We don't want to do this, we have to do this," said Donna. "It's really heartbreaking."
For the couple who has been serving Squamish patrons since they opened their first restaurant in 1975, Yiannis closure is more than heartbreaking - it's life changing and tragic.
"We're not sure what we'll do next we stayed open as long as we could to keep everyone in work," she said.
"It's really, really hard. We've done this all our life. This is our life's work. We hoped to stay in it until my husband retired in three years time but this is what the economy did to us stole our life."
Donna said there were a number of growing factors that lead to Yiannis's demise.
First, the big businesses left town and the Royal Hudson train stopped coming to Pavilion Park, then the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project deterred people from pulling into downtown Squamish, then the HST came into effect, and then minimum wage went up, said Donna.
"It's like one nail after the other in the coffin," she said.
Donna said the restaurant's last night on Sunday was very emotional because several former employees and regular customers came to support the Maroulis.
"All these people kept coming in and I thought we were on death row because they kept saying: 'We're coming for our last supper,'" she said.
"It's so sad."
Longtime Yiannis employee Helen Nocente was very upset about the closure and called on council to help resolve what she sees as a massive problem in the downtown core.
"This is leaving a big hole in the heart of downtown, including those of the customers and staff," said Nocente.
"One has to wonder what's happening on Cleveland Avenue. The same day [Yiannis closed] the Petite Burrow was having a garage sale because they couldn't keep going, and the art gallery [House of RTS] was having its last [regular business] day as well.
"Pretty soon there will be more closed businesses than open ones down there. What is council doing about this situation?"
Nocente urged "someone in the mayor's office to take note and try and figure out a solution to increase the traffic downtown."
Donna was also disappointed with the lack of attention focused on the downtown.
"I think a lot of the businesses downtown are struggling because they built up everything higher up the highway. It's no longer our downtown. All the major things are gone from downtown," she said.
"Historically it's our downtown but I don't think so anymore."
Despite the number of downtown shops going out of business recently - House of RTS, The Petite Burrow, Howe Sound Juice Company, The Bookshelf, FunArt Children's Arts and Crafts and Yiannis - several other businesses have recently moved into the area.
Last year, Stock Home Designs and The Nature Nest opened downtown, and this year half a dozen or so more joined the ranks.
Squamish Academy of Music, Edward Jones, The Grateful Bread Bakery and Cafe, Kozo Sushi, and Bisla Sweets, Restaurant & Meatshop are some of the new tenants who prefer the downtown's charm to elsewhere in Squamish.
"This is the core of Squamish and it's also the best place to be from an economical approach," said Grateful Bread owner Harvey Spivey.
One of the new additions to area is the Squamish Academy of Music, owned by local musical talent Melissa Braun who is convinced the downtown is, and will remain, the cultural centre of Squamish.
"I like being downtown where it feels like you're part of a community and it's nice to have other businesses happy to see you come and support you," she said.
Edward Jones financial advisor Mike Nasu said he moved his office back downtown after a short stint in the Highlands because "it's the professional epicentre of Squamish."
"I wanted to be part of downtown - I wanted to be one of the first few businesses to actually go back downtown instead of heading to the highlands," he said.
"Even though most of my clients are from the Highlands and Brackendale, the majority of them still come downtown to do their grocery shopping and banking."
Stock Home Design owner Elisa Langenstam said even after a year she still has people coming in for the first time, and her multi-business concept in a one-space venue is working out well.
"I think we need to encourage people to come downtown and the better selection we can offer, the more we can encourage people to come - it's all intertwined," she said.
Despite the turnover, several established downtown businesses are surviving the difficult economy and their owners love being in the area.
"Downtown is a good place for business because there are a lot of other businesses centred here," said Out West owner Ashley Greene. "It's slightly less expensive rent and has a more authentic feel."
"I also think the Farmers' Market and the other events downtown are drawing people from all over Squamish, not just those who live here."
However, Greene and other business owners recognize there is room for improvement.
"It's definitely challenging that businesses are coming and going so frequently. It's not super encouraging to see your neighbours set up business and shut down six months later," she said.
"Some communities really care about preserving vibrancy in their historic downtowns, whereas here in Squamish I get the sense they'd rather just make it go away."
Trinity Romance owner Eric Armour has owned and operated his business for seven years and, given the choice to relocate, he said he wouldn't even consider leaving downtown.
"It's the heart of the community and it's the historic downtown," he said.
"The lease rates are more affordable, the potential mix of businesses is a lot better and the overall feel is more charming."
In Armour's mind, what downtown Squamish needs are a couple of big anchors to draw in more people.
"If the movie theatre was downtown, all of a sudden we'd have a nightlife," he said. "I think having anchors that businesses can satellite off of is key and finding out how to attract them is the million dollar question."
