After operating for nearly 50 years in San Luis Obispo, Cowboy Cookie & Ice Cream has closed its doors at its 790 Foothill Blvd. No. 130 location.
The local cookie and ice cream store shut down at the end of March, announcing the closure with a sign taped to the front door.
Cowboy Cookie & Ice Cream owner Shannon Millhollon told KSBY that the change comes as a result of slow business at the San Luis Obispo location.
"We just kept on watching the numbers and going from there. It just wasn't the right location for us," Millhollon said. "It was a bummer, you know. We wanted to stay open."
Cowboy Cookie & Ice Cream was housed at a storefront located on Higuera Street in Downtown San Luis Obispo for years before moving to the Foothill location.
The business stayed open on Foothill for almost a year before closing down.
The owner says the store's four employees were given the option to transfer to the business's two other locations in Pismo Beach and Santa Maria.
"A lot of them are moving back over to the Pismo location," she said.
Millhollen tells KSBY that the business will still have a presence in San Luis Obispo at the weekly Downtown SLO Farmers' Market.
When asked about next steps, the owner says she could see another San Luis Obispo location reopening in the future.
"If, like, a good location becomes available, that would work out," Millhollen said. "We wanted to stay in SLO, but like I said, maybe another day. Not right now."
For now, the store owner is keeping a positive attitude about the situation.
"It's okay, it's not a big deal. It's just what it is," she said.
