Popular Olympia restaurant is closing downtown after eight years, owners say
The Wayside Cafe and Deli in downtown Olympia will close July 18, owners Jamie Vulva and Kevin Rainsberry announced on social media Wednesday.
Customers have flocked to the local eatery on the corner of Capitol Way South and Fifth Avenue Southeast since 2018. The final day is also the eighth anniversary of its opening, the owners said.
“We tried really hard to sell, and ultimately everything fell through,“ Vulva said in a social media video. “… We’re tired. As much as we recognize that what we’re doing is important to the community, it seems like it’s time for this to end.”
The owners have accrued “significant debt” to keep the eatery doors open as long as possible, their Facebook post said. To make up their losses, the owners have started a GoFundMe site with a starting goal of $4,500. As of Wednesday afternoon, they have raised $1,200. Business has not kept up with rising costs, the owners said in the fundraiser description.
“First and foremost, we’d love to see you again,” the description reads. “Come on in and buy some food for yourself or contribute to the Pay it Forward program to help feed someone else who maybe can’t afford it. Or, if you feel like contributing here, we’ll take all the help we can get to pull us out of debt and help us on our way forward with new projects!”
The owners have described the Wayside as a family-friendly vegan restaurant. The eatery specialized in plant-based foods that ranged from “junk food” to “healthy stuff,” according to its website.
