Oak Creek Coffee Shop Temporarily Closed: Staff Shortage, Safety

OAK CREEK, WI — Hillside Coffee House in Oak Creek will remain closed until Jan. 19, the business announced via Facebook on Friday.

The closure is prompted by staffing shortages and to protect the safety of the coffee shop's employees and customers, the post said. The shop initially closed on Jan. 2 with the intention of opening back up on Wednesday, the business said in an earlier Facebook post.

"We are closely monitoring the current situation and will adjust our hours as needed. We thank each and every one of our customers for the support," the business posted.

After the planned reopening, business hours through February will be 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays, the post said.

The closure comes as the COVID-19 case numbers have surged across Wisconsin and the U.S., leaving people infected in record numbers. Hillside isn't the first business to close for customer and staff safety.

Penzeys Spices, a Wauwatosa-based business with locations across Wisconsin, has also closed its doors to in-person shopping amid the COVID-19 surge.

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, the state's chief epidemiologist, said last week that officials considered the spread from the omicron variant "astonishing" and that the speed of its spread across the state was surprising, even with vaccinations.

"It wouldn't shock us if we see higher case numbers this week and next week," Westergaard said. "Let's do what we can following the guidance, staying home when you're sick, getting tested. We have some say of how high and when the peak happens."

Patch Editor Ethan Duran contributed.