ERDA, Utah – A Verge restaurant in Erga, has been serving residents in Twill County for more than two decades. On Sunday they announced they would close their doors at the end of the year.
Last year, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased property and the surrounding area where the restaurant is located, for the development of a new temple. That development stalled after community concerns raised concerns about the temple and nearby residential construction.
Read: Letter-day saint leaders pull out resonant request for temple residential development in Toule County after public outcry
Last month, the church informed Varz owner David Lowe that it would vacate the building by the end of the year. He posted a letter to the restaurant on Sunday informing customers that the doors would be closed soon.
Law began working at Verge’s original location in St Lake City, when he was just 13 years old.
“I worked there for nine years, and the owner died, so I bought it from his wife.”
He opened Erda’s location in 1997, and has been serving the community ever since.
“This is half my life!” The law insisted. “I met my wife here.”
He said the rest restaurant rent, and the tulle community, meant a lot to him and his family.
“I have a client whose mom was pregnant when we opened, and she also had a baby.” “Since that day, which is 23 years later, every birthday has been celebrated here.”
The law was informed that when the property is purchased by the church in 2019 it will have to move to potential locations. So far, they have allowed him to rent the property on a monthly basis.
“They told me I had a year, then things changed,” Lowe said. “I think it was on the 19th or 20th [of Nov.], That Saturday, I received a certified letter saying I would have to stay out of December 31st. “
He tried negotiating the extension on a month-on-month lease, giving him more time to find a new location. But he and the church could not explain.
The law said a hard part of the shutdown is telling its employees that they will no longer be employed just before the holidays. He said some of his staff have been with him for over a decade.
“I beg you, don’t let me fire everyone for Christmas,” Lowe said.
With the additional economic pressure of the epidemic, he said the Erda location has helped keep the doors of his other restaurants in the Salt Lake Valley open.
He added, “To help with all this, it provides funding.
Although it has other locations, the law says it will not be easy to close doors at the Erda restaurant.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” he said with tears in his eyes.
In a statement sent to Fox 13, church spokesman Daniel Woodruff said:
“The church bought land in Erda where Verge is located in July 2019. At the time, the restaurant was not a formal lease. Since then, we have allowed Verge to stay on the property on a month-long lease while encouraging him to find a new location. Last month, the church struck down a notice to terminate the effective month-to-month lease from 31 December. We wish the owners of the Verge the best of luck in relocating. “
By law, the search for a new location for virgins in the Tuile Valley continues, but said nothing could work because of the economic effects of the epidemic. He said he hopes to reopen sometime in the future. For now, that date is still unknown.
