Alberta clothing and café business Sweet Home closed its five locations this week, leaving many customers with unused gift cards.
Owners Cody and Eva Borek announced the closure on social media on Feb. 3.
"Unfortunately, despite all of our efforts, ongoing financial struggles, legal delays, and high-interest borrowing have made it impossible to continue. Our lender, who holds our inventory and fixtures as collateral, will be taking possession, forcing us to close our doors permanently," stated the Facebook post. "This is not how we wanted this story to end. We wanted to keep building, keep serving, and keep creating a space where people felt at home. But today, we must say goodbye."
Sweet Home locations closed their doors on Monday in Stettler, Canmore, Drumheller and Red Deer. Sweet Home on the Lake in Sylvan Lake shut its doors on Tuesday.
The Boreks opened Sweet Home on Main in Stettler in 2020 and expanded to five locations, the most recent being Drumheller. The company is now in receivership.
"Sweet Home is now officially closed. When we received notice last week that we would be going into receivership. Our life turned upside down," the owners stated in a Facebook post dated Feb. 4.
Social media has been flooded with complaints this week from customers who were stuck with unused gift cards.
Sylvan Lake RCMP say they have received a report of fraud in relation to Sweet Home and are investigating.
Central Alberta Online news reached out to the Boreks for comment but did not receive a response.
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