From left, owner Shanel Sinclair with manager Kerri Ferris before they announced the closure of Augusta St. Kitchen.
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair
Assorted gluten free baked goods at Augusta St. Kitchen in Middletown.
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair
“Naked” wedding cake that is gluten free at Augusta St. Kitchen.
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair
Cinnamon walnut oat cake at Augusta St. Kitchen.
Courtesy of Shanel Sinclair
MIDDLETOWN — Augusta St. Kitchen, a gluten-free café and bakery at 213 Court St. which opened in February, is closing on June 20 due to financial reasons, its owner has announced.
Owner Shanel Sinclair made the announcement on the eatery’s Facebook page, which “was very difficult to write,” she said. “The reality is that we have lost the financial support behind Augusta St. Kitchen,” she wrote.
Article continues below this ad
“Restaurants operate on very tight margins, and without enough funding — especially in the beginning months — it becomes extremely difficult to continue operating the business sustainably,” the Portland resident said in the post.
During the time the restaurant was open in the Middlesex Corporate Center in Middletown, Sinclair said she made deep connections with some customers, who have come in to say tearful goodbyes.
One customer brought her flowers. “She came in with them, and I just started to cry. And then she started to cry and she gave me a hug.”
Make CT Insider a preferred source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.
Add Preferred Source
Sinclair said another customer told her, “’I’m going to really miss you guys. This is exactly how I eat. I’m so upset that you’re leaving.’”
Article continues below this ad
“That’s actually what makes me tear up a bit,” Sinclair added.
Sinclair also gave a shout out to her patrons on Facebook: “You gave this place life. I’m deeply grateful for the community that formed around Augusta St. Kitchen. Your support meant more than you know.”
Alla Farrell, who runs the Gluten Free is Alla Eat 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.
“It meant a lot to me that they opened, and absolutely will miss them, for sure,” Farrell said. The meet-ups bring together people who have celiac disease, which she said, “can be really isolating.” At these events group members “just sit and enjoy gluten-free food and just talk and get to know each other.”
Article continues below this ad
Sinclair, a certified holistic nutritionist, said she plans to continue to work for author Darin Ingels, who wrote “The Lyme Solution: A 5-Part Plan to Fight the Inflammatory Auto-Immune Response and Beat Lyme Disease.” She said she had been writing recipes for him for several years.
“I myself have had Lyme disease for years. So I had a lot of autoimmune issues,” she said.
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.
Sinclair was also diagnosed with celiac disease about 25 years ago. At Augusta St., she did not serve any fried baked goods and avoided preservatives, artificial colors or super processed sugars, generally opting instead for maple syrup or coconut sugar, she told CTInsider in a previous story.
Article continues below this ad
Sinclair said she tried to source as many organic ingredients as possible from small farms.
“My philosophy is, whatever diet you follow or lifestyle you’re following, try to eliminate processed food as much as possible, and excess sugars,” Sinclair told CTInsider. “Whether you’re vegan or plant-based or low-carb or carnivore, there are better options you can have.”
In her post, Sinclair said she gave the restaurant her all.
Article continues below this ad
“This café was never just a business to me. It was years of sacrifice, creativity, sleepless nights, risk, passion, and love poured into every detail. I truly believed in creating a space where people could gather, feel welcome, eat delicious healthy food and experience something unique,” she said in her post.