Downtown Dayton restaurant to shut down, then seek to relocate in the spring

Arepas & Co Colombian Comfort Food, which got its start in downtown Dayton in 2012, will shut down its last remaining location in the former Wympee building on East Third Street at Wayne Avenue on Dec. 31, but will look to find a new home in the spring of 2021, a co-owner announced on Facebook on Sunday.

“We wanted to let you all know December 31st will be our last day downtown and we will be closing, so please come support us this week!” co-owner Rene Bostick wrote. “Please keep your eyes open, because this isn’t the last of Arepas! We will be looking for another location come spring!”

Bostick said those who would like to order sauces, Arepas, Tres Leches Cake, Cabbage rolls or other items should contact her at bostickrene@gmail.com.

Arepas & Co got its start only four blocks away from the former Olive Urban Dive/Wympee location at 416 E. Third St. in 2012, when it opened its first location in the Second Street Market. The market’s Arepas & Co location operated until 2017. The East Third Street location opened in early 2017.

In March 2014, Arepas & Co opened a restaurant at 1122 E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering, which remained open until February 2020. It also operated a location on Miamisburg-Centerville Road (State Route 725) in Washington Twp. from June 2017 to November 2018.

Sunday’s announcement was met with sadness from long-time customers, but also dozens of suggested destinations of where Arepas & Co should relocate.

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