Gainesville residents will have to get their psychedelic fix somewhere else now that local pizza favorite Mellow Mushroom has closed up shop.
Mellow Mushroom, 1209 W University Ave, closed its doors indefinitely Tuesday night due to a host of ambiguous reasons.
"We've had a lot of problems with the equipment and the whole building in general, really. It's dilapidated," said Zach Joiner, 24, a server and cook who worked at Mellow Mushroom for more than 2 1/2 years.
Joiner, who last worked as a cook Monday night, said a manager told him via text message late Tuesday night that the owner of the restaurant, Deo Klein, was permanently closing the Gainesville location and the doors would be locked Wednesday.
Klein could not be reached for comment.
"There are probably still a few employees who don't know," Joiner said.
Mellow Mushroom CEO Richard Brasch said the Gainesville location was the only location to close in "quite some time."
"The condition of the store would have ultimately required a substantial amount of infrastructure investment, and the owner was hesitant to make that financial commitment," Brasch said of the franchised location.
Although Brasch could not comment further on the exact reasons for the close, he said the economy might have been a factor.
"The decision by the owner to close was not shocking," Brasch said.
Joiner had a different reaction.
"It was definitely very unexpected," Joiner said.
Stephanie Rogg, a UF sophomore and a frequent Mellow Mushroom customer, also expressed shock and disappointment.
"I mean, some restaurant had to close. I'm just surprised it was this one," Rogg said, referring to the economy. "I used to go to Mellow Mushroom every day before games. It just sucks."
Joiner said that Monday's trivia night was one of the slowest he's seen in years, whereas past Mondays at Mellow Mushroom defied the industry trend of slow shifts.
"I think Tuesday was one of the slowest lunches we've had. I think we only made about $300 for the whole lunch period," Joiner said about the restaurant's last lunch shift.
Brasch could not confirm rumors that Mellow Mushroom would open another store in Gainesville.
"We are going to work diligently to create a plan to resurface in [the Gainesville] market," he said. "We're going to do everything we can."
Brasch elaborated, saying that a reopening of Mellow Mushroom in Gainesville at a different location would depend on a number of factors, including whether to keep the Gainesville location a franchise and whether to market the Gainesville location strictly to UF or to the entire community.
"It depends, in some respect, on the interest we get from Gainesville residents that are really craving Mellow Mushroom to come back," Brasch said.
Joiner, who has already filed for unemployment, said there was some initial confusion as to whether employees would receive their final paychecks. According to Joiner, a manager distributed paychecks Thursday night.
Joiner directed feelings not necessarily to UF students such as Rogg, who said she'll miss the house calzone the most, but to the Mellow Mushroom regulars who came in everyday.
"I mean it was good food. I really enjoyed the food," Joiner said. "I can't really say that for all the places I've worked in."
As of Wednesday night, the restaurant's Twitter and Facebook accounts were down, but the company's Web site still listed the Gainesville location in operation as of Thursday night.
"It's not like we wanted this result, but now that we're faced with this reality, we have to ask ourselves, 'OK, what's the best solution?'" Brasch said.
