<\/p>\n
From left, owner Shanel Sinclair with manager Kerri Ferris before they announced the closure of Augusta St. Kitchen.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair<\/p>\n
Assorted gluten free baked goods at Augusta St. Kitchen in Middletown.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair<\/p>\n
“Naked” wedding cake that is gluten free at Augusta St. Kitchen.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair<\/p>\n
Cinnamon walnut oat cake at Augusta St. Kitchen.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair<\/p>\n
MIDDLETOWN \u2014 Augusta St. Kitchen, a gluten-free caf\u00e9 and bakery at 213 Court St.\u00a0which opened in February<\/a>, is closing on June 20 due to financial reasons, its owner has announced.<\/p>\n Owner Shanel Sinclair made the announcement on the eatery\u2019s Facebook page, which \u201cwas very difficult to write,\u201d she said. \u201cThe reality is that we have lost the financial support behind Augusta St. Kitchen,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cRestaurants operate on very tight margins, and without enough funding \u2014 especially in the beginning months \u2014 it becomes extremely difficult to continue operating the business sustainably,\u201d the Portland resident said in the post.<\/p>\n During the time the restaurant was open in the Middlesex Corporate Center in Middletown<\/a>, Sinclair said she made deep connections with some customers, who have come in to say tearful goodbyes.<\/p>\n One customer brought her flowers. \u201cShe came in with them, and I just started to cry. And then she started to cry and she gave me a hug.\u201d<\/p>\n Make CT Insider a preferred source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Sinclair said another customer told her, \u201c\u2019I’m going to really miss you guys. This is exactly how I eat. I’m so upset that you’re leaving.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s actually what makes me tear up a bit,\u201d Sinclair added.<\/p>\n Sinclair also gave a shout out to her patrons on Facebook: \u201cYou gave this place life. I’m deeply grateful for the community that formed around Augusta St. Kitchen. Your support meant more than you know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Alla Farrell, who runs the Gluten Free is Alla Eat<\/a> page on social media, said she will especially miss Augusta St. Kitchen which she used as a meet-up spot for groups as it is centrally located in the state.<\/p>\n \u201cIt meant a lot to me that they opened, and absolutely will miss them, for sure,\u201d Farrell said. The meet-ups bring together people who have celiac disease, which she said, \u201ccan be really isolating.\u201d At these events group members \u201cjust sit and enjoy gluten-free food and just talk and get to know each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Sinclair, a certified holistic nutritionist, said she plans to continue to work for author\u00a0Darin Ingels<\/a>, who wrote \u201cThe Lyme Solution: A 5-Part Plan to Fight the Inflammatory Auto-Immune Response and Beat Lyme Disease.\u201d She said she had been writing recipes for him for several years.<\/p>\n \u201cI myself have had Lyme disease for years. So I had a lot of autoimmune issues,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before this restaurant, Sinclair opened the first Augusta St. Kitchen in Rhode Island and ultimately owned two. She closed those before she came to Connecticut.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n