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The owners of the Sweet Peas Café in New Windsor, announced this week that although it is continuing to look for a way to say open during the COVID pandemic, it has decided to close.
"The café has struggled to remain financially viable through the pandemic," said owners Nina Baldassare and John Zippo on Facebook. "We are saddened and sorry to have to announce that we will have to permanently close the café."
The cafe was opened in 2014 by Kim McDonnell, serving up breakfast and lunch meals, with each meal named after a song. An instant hit with locals, the funky place was soon the place to be.
McDonnell sold the business to Baldassare and Zippo in 2018 who kept the cafe's name and favorite menu items.
The restaurant was honored in April 2019, with an Empire Award, the State Senate’s highest honor, for the work Baldassare performed honoring the memory of her son, Marine Corporal Daniel Baldassare, who was killed in a military plane crash in 2018.
She also worked hard to make the restaurant a welcome spot for active duty and veterans.
"We mourn the time we spent sharing good company and food with our active and veteran community," the couple said. "We want to thank everyone who has supported us and the community throughout the years and especially during the pandemic."
They said that before the pandemic, the café thrived at 100 percent capacity and that was an accomplishment to be proud of.
"Words cannot express how amazing it has been to serve our loyal customers," they added. "We wish you all the good health and peace in life.
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