LAYTON -- After 20 years, a community landmark is leaving town for good.
Because of construction associated with the $97 million south Layton Interchange project, Doug & Emmy's Family Restaurant and Cafe will close soon, likely sometime after the new year.
Owners Doug Madsen and Emmy Criddle said they have been given their official moving papers from the state, a 30-day notice to vacate their building.
"We've been given our notice, but who knows when they'll actually make us leave," Criddle said. "John (Sill, Emmy's brother and owner of Sill's Cafe in Layton) got his 30-day notice months ago and he's still open."
Criddle said when the drop-dead date finally comes, she will be moving her restaurant south, to Mayfield city in Sanpete County.
"I've got a friend down there who owns a gas station and one-half of the building is empty," she said. "So we're going to move in there and try to make a go of it down south."
A part-owner, Madsen can't relocate because of his job and won't be making the trip to Mayfield.
"It's a tough situation," Madsen said. "But what can you do? We'll just have to make the best of it."
The building that houses the restaurant, with it's familiar large, white frame, has been in Layton for years.
Bill Sanders, curator of the Heritage Museum of Layton said the building was likely built in the late 19th century and served as the city's train depot until the 1970s.
"It's definitely a historical city landmark," Sanders said.
Criddle said she doesn't know what the state will do with the building when the restaurant moves out.
"We don't have a clue what they are going to do with it," she said. "We don't know if they are going to tear it down, or turn it into something else. We have no idea."
Criddle is a lifelong resident of Layton and a restaurant-business lifer. Her parents, Golden and Genevieve Sill, first opened Sill's Cafe in 1957.
"It's been pretty rough for us," she said.
"It's like, I've lived in Layton my whole life, I've worked at this restaurant for 20 years. It's really hard to explain the feelings you have after you've dedicated your life to something, then out of nowhere, you have to pick up and leave."
Before the popular restaurant permanently closes its doors, owners Madsen and Criddle will show thanks to their supporters with a special Thanksgiving Day treat for regular customers.
After 2:30 p.m., regular customers can come to the restaurant and have a meal on the house.
"Our regulars know who they are and they're all invited," Criddle said. "We have a lot of customers that really have nowhere to go, so we are doing dinner for them as a way to let them know how much we've appreciated them over all these years. We are kind of turning the tables and giving thanks to the people who have supported us for so long."
Some of those supporters, Criddle says, won't be strangers after the restaurant moves.
"A lot of these guys hunt out there. There is a golf course near there that some of them go to," Criddle said. "So we'll probably see some familiar faces."
Doug & Emmy's is at 200 S. Main St. in Layton.
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