Centre County rock climbing gym, 2 eateries recently announced closures. What to know
Centre County residents are losing several familiar spots this spring, with a downtown diner, an on-campus coffee shop and the area’s only rock climbing gym all announcing they will shut down. The closures cite a mix of staffing struggles, rising costs and unexplained business decisions.
Here are key takeaways:
- Saxby’s coffee shop closed its location inside Penn State’s Business Building on May 8 after more than seven years serving students and employees, according to a sign posted inside the shop. The Philadelphia-based company opened the University Park spot in September 2018 through an experiential learning platform that let students help staff and operate the cafe. Company representatives and university officials have not said why the location is closing.
- Bubba’s Eggs, Steaks & Shakes has closed its downtown State College diner at 131 S. Garner St. after roughly six months in business. The restaurant, which opened in late October with burgers, milkshakes and other diner fare, cited ongoing staffing challenges as a contributing cause. Bubba’s arrived in State College with help from the team behind the Daily Grind, an Altoona breakfast spot that closed last September.
- Climb Nittany, the only dedicated rock climbing gym in Centre County, will close its Boalsburg location at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, after six years in business. The gym said the decision came after exhausting every restructuring option in the face of unsustainable occupancy costs. Once it closes, the next-closest dedicated climbing gym will be Boulders and Bubbles in Northumberland County, about an hour and 10 minutes away.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
Jessica McAllister
Centre Daily Times