By Kami Nguyen

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Isun “Candy” Gehrke, owner of the Village Pantry in downtown Los Altos, said her customers have been like a family to her - so it’s hard for her to say goodbye. She recently sold the coffee shop after having owned it for six years.

“I will really miss my customers,” she said. “I have received so much love and I have given them love in return. I’ll miss the children the most because I’ve watched them grow up. Also the Los Altos High water polo team - I’ll miss those guys.”

Gehrke said she never planned to sell the coffee shop, located on Second Street, until she had a foot injury last year. She slipped and fell at the restaurant, and since then she has had a problem with her right foot.

“I thought it would be all right, so I kept going. Now the problem’s worse,” she said.

Last March she had surgery on her foot and took time off to recover. When she returned to work, the problem recurred.

Since Gehrke’s job requires her to be on her feet all day, there did not seem to be any easy solution.

“Now I’m having trouble with my left foot because I put all my weight on it,” she said.

In May she decided to sell the 54-year-old restaurant. By July, she had found suitable buyers.

The new owners are David and Julie Ogilvie, who will take over when Gehrke leaves in September.

“Julie is very energetic and she’s a good person. That’s the only reason why I sold it to them,” Gehrke said. “I could have sold it to anybody, but I wanted to make sure the person would do the same job as me.”

Although customers are upset about her departure, Gehrke said they have nothing to worry about. The food, the service and the helpers at the Village Pantry won’t change, she said.

She hopes customers will keep coming back for the “familylike atmosphere” she has created over the years.

“I make them feel at home … the customers feel like they are eating at the kitchen table, not at a restaurant. I think that’s why I’ve had the same customers for six years,” she said.

Gehrke worked at IBM in San Jose for 13 years before starting the restaurant business. She said she always knew she wanted to own her own business and that leaving the coffee shop doesn’t mean she will leave the restaurant business for good.

After taking some time off, she plans to open another restaurant in Los Altos - a bigger one, so she can hire more help and stay off her feet more.

“I will definitely miss the customers,” she said. “I just want them to give the new owners a chance - the same chance they’ve given me.”