Bobcat Creamery won't be closing after all, set to reopen Friday
The Bobcat Creamery in Manchester isn’t closing its doors after all.
A week after owners Brian and Wendy Klinger announced the restaurant and ice cream shop would be closing permanently, citing difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have changed their mind and will reopen later this week.
“It is with great excitement that we will open back up this Friday,” the business said Tuesday in a Facebook post. “Thank you (Brian) and Wendy for giving us the opportunity to keep the Creamery open.
“Hoping you all will come out and support us now and in future. We will have a limited food menu and full ice cream menu.”
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The new store hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
On March 18, the KIingers announced the business, located at 117 S. Main St., would be closing after five years.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce the closing of the Bobcat Creamery,” the couple said in a Facebook post. “... These times are tough with this virus and not being able to operate. These new restrictions are going to make it impossible to operate and be profitable.”
But the community and customers pledged to support the business on social media if it remained open.
“Well we were overwhelmed to say the least with the number of comments and shares we received on the closing of the Creamery,” the Kilngers said in a Facebook post on Saturday. “We didn't realize the Creamery meant this much to so many.”
The Klingers, Northeastern High School graduates, bought the building after Iggy Bops Ice Cream closed. They give students from the district an opportunity to build and manage the business, recruiting from the school's business-focused classes and Future Business Leaders of America.
The board of directors includes a group of 14 Northeastern students in grades 9 through 12. A handful of adult managers oversee the restaurant.
— Ron Musselman can be reached at rmusselman@yorkdispatch.com or via Twitter at @ronmusselman8.