Corner Bakery Café in Gemini Place closes

The Corner Bakery Café closed its Polaris location this week.

The fast casual restaurant was the only Corner Bakery in Ohio, according to the company's website.

A sign posted at the front entrance of the Gemini Place restaurant said the closure is permanent and invited customers to visit one of the bakery chain's other 155 locations. According to the company's website, the closest location is in Chicago.

The windows were covered from the inside on Thursday, all the signage at the drive-thru was removed, and a tarp covered the Corner Bakery sign at the edge of Gemini Place.

A Corner Bakery representative did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Thursday.

The Dallas-based chain is known for pastries and other breakfast staples, but also serves sandwiches,

soups, salads, and pasta.

The Polaris café opened in 2017 to great fanfare, bringing the chain to the Buckeye State for the first time.

While the company offered no reason for the closure, the coronavirus pandemic was especially damaging to the restaurant industry. Dozens of Greater Columbus restaurants closed as a direct result of COVID.

The Corner Bakery closure appears to be region’s first major restaurant to close this year. pcooley@dispatch.com @Patrickacooley