Funky Ladles Goes on 'Hiatus' Downtown

One of Kent's newest, more popular eateries is taking a break in light of all the construction going on right outside its front door in downtown Kent.

The owners of , formerly Zoupwerks, announced on its Facebook page today that the soup and sandwich shop is shutting down temporarily.

"Funky Ladles in Kent is going on hiatus until the students return, or when this marathon road construction eventually starts to show signs of completion," management wrote on the restaurant's page.

They pointed to a sharp drop in customers and a 90 percent drop in revenue in relation to the road work as the primary reason for the temporary closure. Management said customers can expect the eatery reopen in about two months.

"We will pick up where we left off when the students return, with a new fall menu along with the same delicious staples," management posted to the Kent Patch Facebook page this afternoon.

The restaurant is almost directly in the middle of Erie Street, to align the streetscape with the adjacent $100 million redevelopment.

Other business owners with the street construction, which has eliminated parking in front of the new shops at Acorn Alley with sidewalks serving as the primary access.

Erie Street is to car traffic in mid August at the earliest.