FOR SALE: Iconic restaurant up for grabs in Mississauga
Published July 16, 2024 at 4:59 pm
The owners of a long-standing restaurant and cafe in Mississauga recently announced that they plan to sell the business and retire.
Today, Franz Hochholdinger, who owns the Apricot Tree Cafe with his wife, Esther, told supporters that the couple are hanging up their [chef’s] hats after 31 years in business. In a video posted to the restaurant’s website, Hochholdinger said that while the cafe had “an incredible run,” he and his wife are tired after three decades of 80 and 90-hour work weeks and are ready to move on to the next chapter in their lives.
“Who knew at the start of our journey that we would be around this long? We had an incredible run thanks to your support for so many years and we are really grateful for that,” he said.
“Working 80 to 90 hours a week has taken its toll and nowadays, the pain in joints overshadows the joy of cooking and baking and unlike technologies and machines, we’re not built to work faster, last longer and respond to requests and messages within minutes.”
Candidly admitting that he and Esther are “physically and mentally” fatigued at the end of each day, Hochholdinger, who has been helming the Sherwood Forrest Village hotspot since 1993, said he is proud that the cafe embraced clean air technology during the pandemic.
He credits the clean air with keeping him and his wife from getting ill for over four years.
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“We are incredibly proud that we are considered the world leader by many when it comes to cleaning and restaurants. We prove every single day that it makes a huge difference to keep people healthy,” he said in the video.
Saying that the cafe, known for featuring European dishes such as chicken tarragon, crepes, osso buco, wiener schnitzel and more, is busier than ever, Hochholdinger said that now is the perfect time to retire.
“Just like an athlete, you should always go out on the top of your game. The last few years have been busier than ever and that’s why we think it’s a good time for us now to hang it all up,” he said.
“We are putting our restaurant up for sale, and hopefully, we can find a suitable buyer who will continue the tradition for another 31 years.”
In the video, Hochholdinger said that until a buyer has been found, the cafe will continue to operate.
“Until such a buyer has been found, we promise that we are going to continue to work as hard as ever to provide great food and service and if you have any concerns, you can always reach us directly,” he said.
“This is not the end yet! But we’d like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your support and what you have done for us for so long.”