OGDEN, Utah — After 18 years as a staple in Ogden, No Frills Diner on 25th is closing its doors this week.
For owner Ronald Yeates, No Frills Diner is about more than just serving customers — it's about feeding family.
"I can't tell you how many people and the people who have contacted me, it just makes me feel good and appreciated and I wish that we could continue with that, but sometimes, things have to change," Yeates said.
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Friday will be the diner's last day. For Marsha Stephens, the diner has been her community since No Frills opened.
"I come here almost every day to eat, and if they’re gone, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Stephens said. “I love it here, they are friendly here, they are family, and their food is so good.”
Yeates said he has been struggling.
"You start seeing the business decline a little bit and each thing that happens, I take responsibility for my restaurant not making it, but we had a lot of things that made it so we couldn’t continue to go and the bills started piling up," Yeates said.
He said that between the Wonderblock construction project that closed a parking lot three years ago, to tearing out the road next to their restaurant, and then the city enforcing paid parking, he said he has lost business.
"I'll drive around the block 4 times, but after that, I’m done,” Stephens said. “So a lot of times, instead of coming in, I’d go home because I couldn’t get in, couldn’t park anywhere."
The economy also played a role in people not coming out to eat as often.
"A lot of people are only doing it for special occasions now, like birthdays and stuff, instead of a casual Saturday or Sunday breakfast," Yeates said.
The diner is auctioning all its equipment, supplies and memorabilia because the landlord gave them ten days to be out — that clock runs out this Sunday night.
"Devastating,” said Stephens. “It’s devastating to see them have to go through this," she said.
Yeates is now looking forward to a new chapter in his life.
"A big thank you to everybody,” he said. “It’s been a great 18 years, it’s been a long run, it’s been hard run, but I’ve learned a lot and I wouldn’t trade it for anything."