It was a bittersweet atmosphere inside one of Yellowknife's beloved coffee shops Saturday as the Fat Fox closed the doors on their 50 Street location last Saturday.
"We opened our doors and it was just bang, a giant line-up, it was great to see all our regulars, it does not feel real that there is only two hours left," said Emma Atkinson, one of the co-owners of the shop, on Saturday Afternoon. "Just very surreal."
The business first opened its doors on 'Range' Street in June, 2014 and quickly became known for its quirky décor and positive messages written on top of coffee lids. Serving a mix of baked goods and spicy curries it quickly became a favorite with Yellowknifers to grab their morning coffee and scones.
"The staff is really nice, the food is good, the location is great," said Cameron Twa, a regular customer at the shop. "I've enjoyed coming here in the mornings, it's a nice atmosphere and I don't know what I'm going to do now."
Atkinson and her partner, Jeremy Flatt first announced that they would be closing their doors due to repeated water leaks in the building last month. Atkinson and Flatt say that since that announcement the community has shown an outpouring of support for the local business.
"It was quite overwhelming at first, just so many comments and it's been amazing, this community is amazing," said Atkinson. "So many messages of people suggesting things, people offering help, people showing interest in where we're going next."
Messages of support
Those messages of suggestions and support continued into the final hours of the business as customers continued to pour through the doors.
"I heard there's a spot maybe at the museum, if they could open up in Kam Lake that would be really great for me," said Matthew Brien, a Kam Lake resident. "The ambience, very welcoming shop, the food is amazing here, I love this place."
As for the future of the Fat Fox, the owners previously told Yellowknifer, to Brien's dismay, they were committed to finding a new location that would keep them in the city's downtown core.
Flatt and Atkinson said that they don't expect a re-opening anytime soon as they plan to take time off and visit family in the United Kingdom. The pair does plan to start a catering business later this fall.
Flatt and Atkinson said that once they move out, they don't know what will happen with the building that their business is vacating.
The owner of the building could not be reached as of press time.
The City of Yellowknife bought a number of lots on 50 Street just down from the Fat Fox building in 2012 for a total of $975,000 and demolished the buildings on them. There is yet to be any replacement construction on those lots.