The parking lot has been full and people who have known and loved the Charlestown Cafe at 3800 California Ave. s.w. as a restaurant and community resource crowded into the building for a last visit before the business closes on Sunday, April 3.

A transformer outside the restaurant blew out during the lunch hour so they were forced to close for tonight. They expect to be open for breakfast at 7:00 am and then stop seating at 2:30 pm on Sunday.

The doors will close for the final time at 3:00 and an employee only party will follow where there are sure to be lots of tears and memories shared amongst the thirty people who will be losing their jobs.

One said today, "I wish there wasn't even going to be a party and that we could just keep going so I could keep my job."

But owner Ron Hanlon made clear last week as the West Seattle Herald detailed the business simply ran out of money to keep going, despite his best efforts.

Well known West Seattle business owner Jack Menashe was there enjoying some pancakes and acknowledged it was a sad situation but understands that this is the nature of business. He expressed curiosity about the future of the land, which, according to the Department of Planning and Development shows an interest in "New mixed-use multi-family building with commercial on the ground floor," and shows a Mercer Island architectural firm as the applicant. No date information on this application is available.