PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Taylor Farmhouse Cafe was a community staple in Jupiter Farms. Many area residents are trying to piece together exactly what happened and why this restaurant suddenly shut down.
"I was just driving by," area resident named Sharon Tomaszewski said. "I heard about what happened here, and I just came by to see it for myself."
While autumn decorations remain out back, a closed sign sits on the door. The restaurant's website had the words "Closed Indefinitely" posted Thursday.
"Very disappointing," Tomaszewski said. "It's a nice location here, country atmosphere."
Back in July, a collaboration with Okeechobee Steakhouse was announced and the site reopened at the end of that month.
At a nearby shopping plaza, questions abound over the closure.
"They just closed down," Allen Knopp of Jupiter Farms said. "They didn't tell anybody."
"It was nice to know it was there because you could pull in, have a beer and some good food and hang out with the locals," Debra Dubinski of Jupiter Farm said. "Now, you don't even have that option."
David Sabin, a representative for owner Ralph Lewis, told WPTV that the last day of service for the restaurant was Saturday. The restaurant closed because of an "undisclosed preexisting defect with the property," Sabin said.
At Company C Hair, hair stylist Maureen Paglia knows clients will be chatting about the closing.
"I'm sure they'll all be talking about it because it was a very popular local place," Paglia said.
Her family has fond memories of the nearby cafe.
"Oh, I brought my grandchildren there, had a great night, the music," Paglia said. "They were dancing around and met other little kids. It was so cute. Yeah, we are really gonna miss it a lot."
"The family that owns the property and operated Taylor Farmhouse for five years is confused and saddened by the announcement. ... At this time it is unknown the future plans for the restaurant," according to a statement. "The Taylor family is waiting to hear back from the tenant."
Now, some locals like John Carney hope for a return or another option.
"Being out here, there aren't that many options for dining at all, so to have a spot out there, so popular, so well received, so well loved, it's definitely surprising to hear," Carney said. "The community loses out as a result."
WPTV has contacted a representative for Okeechobee Steakhouse, the operator of the cafe. WPTV also contacted the Taylor family to see if they wanted to add any additional information.