GREENVILLE — Bill Balsizer tried to keep Two Chef’s Café and Market downtown afloat, but 10 months after the death of his wife and business partner, Judy Balsizer, he has to let it go.
Balsizer has made what he called “a very tough decision” to close Two Chefs Café & Market at Main and Stone streets. The last day of service for the iconic Greenville café will be Friday, Oct. 27.
The Two Chefs Café on the Eastside will remain open and will continue to serve lunch and dinner. Balsizer has plans to grow that location.
“Downtown will close,” Balsizer said, his voice full of emotion. “But her legacy will live on.”
The decision to close what the Balsizers referred to as the downtown location comes as Bill has struggled to operate two restaurants while also grieving his wife of 30 years.
At first, he admitted, the downtown location gave him a mission of sorts, a distraction, a way to honor Judy, who ran the location and its previous location at 104 S. Main St. for 18 years. But, ultimately, it became too much.
What the location needs, Bill Balsizer could no longer provide
Running two restaurants is hard, Bill said, which is why the couple originally divided the restaurants, each taking charge of one.
Staffing has also been inconsistent, Balsizer said, and he just didn’t have the time or energy needed to help the business thrive.
While the café opened serving dinner and operating on weekends, the café has been open just for lunch Monday through Friday over the past year.
“The space needs to be open more,” Balsizer said. “It needs to be open at night. It needs that bar, that wine service, that dinner service brought back, and I’m just not capable at this point to stretch myself even thinner.”
