COVID Casualty: Oakdale Country Kitchen Closes

The Gibsons have now deeded the property to their lender, which also includes their living quarters.

Oakdale Country Kitchen owners Bill and Bonnie Gibson were so hopeful for 2020. “We thought that 2020 was going to be our year,” said Bill Gibson. “We thought this would be the year we would finally make a profit.”

But then along came COVID-19. The restrictions and concerns in general about eating out led to such a decline in business that it was too much for the Gibsons to overcome.

After 9 1/2 years of owning and operating the Oakdale Kitchen, the Gibsons closed it Sunday, September 27.

That was painful for the Gibsons. They had poured their inheritance and retirement savings into rebuilding the restaurant after a major fire 5 years ago, and to cover the debt and operating expenses every year because of an income shortfall.

Read their full story in this week’s issue.