The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Peru – On Sunday, October 3, 2021, at 1 p.m. Green Acres Restaurant will be closing. Donna Rowley, who has successfully operated the business for the past eight and one-half years, needs a new chef and can’t find one. She explained, “My chef Paul Drake told me some time ago that he would be looking for a job with more benefits. So I started quietly looking for someone about three and one-half months ago. I reached out to people, then I called the employment agencies, but they couldn’t help. Anybody that owns a small business doesn’t have enough help. With all the extra Covid money, people aren’t going to work.  I can’t run the business the way I want by myself.”

Deciding to close wasn’t easy. Rowley knows her business is important, not only to her but to Peru. She stated, “I beat myself up about this decision. I went for a hike. I talked out loud to myself. I was afraid someone would hear me and say who is that crazy person. I had to soul search. I asked, ‘Donna, your business is really good right now. Do I try and do this myself and damage it? I’m going to damage the place. It’s going to consume me.'” 

Rowley opened her doors on April 27, 2013, taking over from Hanh and Sherry Chung, who operated Green Acres for sixteen years. Today, business is better than ever. On Sundays, Green Acres sometimes has a waiting list. People love the daily lunch specials and the many varieties of baked pies.  Rowley bakes on Monday, the one day of the week that the restaurant is closed.  Monday is also her day to do business paperwork and banking. Along with managing the business, routine tasks include cooking, waiting on tables, carpet shampooing, bathroom cleaning, window washing, and even plowing snow and mowing the lawn.  And then there are those beautiful seasonal decorations. 

What is she going to do next? Rowley said, “I haven’t decided yet. I have until the end of October. I’m still going to do some painting in the restaurant and repair the kitchen flooring, and I’m going to have a big sale to sell the things in the restaurant. After October, I will have to work. I love to work. My first job was at the Malone Dairy Queen when I was fourteen.” Rowley doesn’t own the building. A realtor erected a “For Sale” sign earlier this week. Rowley hopes the person who buys it will reopen the building as a restaurant. 

Speaking about her customers, Donna Rowley said, “I’m going to miss them. Some people have made me cry already. I have many of their phone numbers.  Some of us even go out to dinner occasionally. I remember their birthdays. Right now, it’s OK. Next week, don’t ask me.” 

Click here to view the 2013 Peru Gazette story on Rowley’s restaurant opening.