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Rothschild Farm plans to close cafe, retail store

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By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer Updated 8:48 AM Thursday, July 16, 2009

URBANA — After nearly 11 years of serving the community, Robert Rothschild Farm announced this week it is planning to close its cafe and retail store at the end of the summer.

Jim Gordon, president and CEO of the company, said the cafe will close on July 31 and the retail store will shut its doors on Aug. 31. Both are located at 3143 E. U.S. 36.

Company officials said they will focus their resources on their line of gourmet foods, which they ship to retailers across the country.

“It was time to focus on our core gourmet food business,” Gordon said. “We feel that’s where our future lies.”

The company sells a wide range of foods, including rubs, mustards, pasta sauce and cupcake mix.

Gordon declined to say whether the cafe and market were losing money for the company.

He said it is possible the space could be leased to another company.

In the meantime, seven full-time and five part-time employees will lose their jobs as a result of the move.

The berry farm would finish out its season and then that aspect of the business will be evaluated as well, Gordon said.

The decision came as a shock to some customers, including Charlotte Walker of Mechanicsburg.

She visits the cafe and store with friends and neighbors at least once a week, she said.

“I come down here to eat. I come down here for a coffee in the morning,” Walker said.

Tammy Hayes, of Urbana, said she lives nearby and stops in a couple times a month for lunch or to buy Ohio State Buckeyes gifts.

“I was really sad,” she said of hearing about the decision. “I enjoy coming here.”

Gordon said the staff has received a lot of support from customers.

“We’re certainly appreciative and grateful for all the customers that have visited us over the years,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

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I worked @ RRF for a few years. The restaurant and retail shop did not make money, and they were a big drag on resources. People in the office spent far more time supporting these operations than they should have. It was the same issue w/ the Tuttle store. These stores were great for local goodwill, but made little business sense. Most of RRF's money is made co-packing private label for other retail companies.

anonymous
5:11 PM, 8/18/2009

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I just visited the cafe.

We were told the cafe and market *have* been making a profit. We were also told that several offers have been made to purchase the cafe and market and keep them operating. All offers -- even those for princely sums -- were turned down.

If the property were amassing losses, it would be a different story. Why close something which is profitable, provides jobs for the community, and is a point of pride in Western Ohio?

Simple answer: out of state ownership.

Just Visited
11:06 PM, 7/25/2009

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The whole company fell apart after they fired Mary
O'Donnell.This would have NEVER happened when she was CEO.They will sell the business and who ever buys this messed up company will move it out of Urbana.All employees should start looking for other jobs now .

kevin
1:14 PM, 7/21/2009

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To B:

This site isn't all about DDN. They pull all of the Springfield News Sun news onto pretty much one site. That's why we go to springfieldnewssun.com and get news stories about things down south.

To CRC:

Been there, done that. I have more business knowledge than you give me credit for. I still say you don't shut down profitable divisions, unless you are Rothschilds or Neenah Paper. Hmmmm I still say Urbana is becoming the ghost town the government wants it to be.

Let's Face It
6:47 AM, 7/18/2009

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I worked there for many years. I saw people let go from the top to the lowest man several times. Big city people cannot make a small town into something it is not. Watch out employees, they will be closing the whole place down. They tell you everything is running well over and over and they have no intentions of closing, and you walk in one morning and they tell you that the Co. is closing. Been there twice. Just another outsider looking in.

susie
7:31 AM, 7/17/2009

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