HAMLIN -- A diner in Wayne County will close up shop this weekend, but not because its owners want to.
The owners of Shelly's Family Restaurant in Hamlin say it's getting harder and harder for small businesses to survive.
Patrick Shelly bought the building on the Hamlin Highway 10 years ago to chase a dream he's had since boyhood.
"There's so many things working against small business anymore. It's tough," Shelly said.
The dream ends on Sunday when Shelly's Family Restaurant closes its doors for good. The Shellys say they've been slowly losing money each year.
"The chains, it's tough to compete with them. We don't have the marketing budget. Here in the seasonal area of Hamlin, we've had a lot of older customers die off, and that's why we're closing," Shelly added. "Over the years, gradually we've lost more and more customers that we just haven't been able to replace."
It's been Shelly's for a decade, but most people in Wayne County will remember the place as the Hamlin Diner. The building's been there for than 30 years.
"I like to go where you're treated right, and where the service is good, and the food is just as good," said Pearl Padula of Jefferson Township.
Customers, though dwindling, are loyal and say Hamlin will lose a family-run gem.
"Excellent food, service wonderful, we have waitresses who have been here for years. I feel bad I don't know what's going to happen to them," said Eileen Machules of Lake Wallenpaupack.
"It's nice, homey, you relax when you're here. I'm sad that it's going to close," said Mary Dolan of Moscow.
The Shellys say they stuck around this week to give their employees one last paycheck.
"It's been emotional, devastating after 10 years. The customers become family and friends, and we've had our up and downs every day, all kinds of different emotions," said Denise Shelly.
There will be many different emotions this weekend, too, but the prevailing one will be pride.