College Park Café, known for being the oldest diner in Orlando since its establishment in 1951, has shuttered its doors in an unexpected turn of events. State inspection records obtained by ClickOrlando reported that the closure on Tuesday was due to health code violations that included the presence of over 50 dead cockroaches and several live ones.
It was only days after the diner sought to quickly makeover its image and attract a new crowd with the introduction of a drag brunch. This move, reportedly, was an attempt to balance the books amidst financial pressure. Closure details followed a note on the establishment's door that bluntly stated, "OUT OF BUSINESS! Toodles." In a statement reported by Bungalower, the owner explained, "Tuesday morning, we conducted a full wall flush treatment through our pest control provider as part of a proactive pest control plan we implemented due to a recent isolated issue."
The decision to close the diner, which had been in operation for over seven decades, underlines the harsh realities many small businesses face. Rising costs and an apparent failure to keep up with stringent health regulations have had a tangible impact. While the diner was undergoing cleaning efforts after the flush treatment, a Department of Health inspector arrived to investigate a complaint, which led to the immediate issuance of a closure order.
In light of the health concerns, the owner made the difficult decision not only to close down to address the issues temporarily but also to cease operations entirely. In a Facebook comment, the owner said, "While we were given the option to clean and reopen, we made the difficult decision to permanently close instead." Bungalower also relayed this information after a public statement had become available.
