After 77 years the Shady Rest Fish and Chips has shut its doors due to a family tragedy.
Back in 2017, the Pearson family sold the shop located at 1359 Sutherland Avenue to its new owners Darran and Keri Cawood.
However, on June 5, Shady Rest Fish and Chips posted on Facebook that Cawood’s son Alex had suddenly died.
“We have closed to try and process this and figure out how to move forward without him. He was so excited to be taking over our small family business and he was in the process of doing so,” reads the post.
Alex was a son, brother, friend, partner and father to daughter Evelyn Mary and a son, who is to be born in July.
“We need some time to process and grieve and we hope you can all understand and continue to support us. We are absolutely heartbroken at the moment and truly don't know how to move forward,” explained the Cawoods.
There has been an outpouring of support for the Shady Rest family, with more than 470 engaging with the post and over 180 comments.
Kristy Shumay, the daughter of former owner Mel Pearson, expressed sadness in a post about Alex’s death saying, “From all of the Pearson Family, we are sending you the hugest hug right now.”
Jock Tyre who operates the Kelowna Curling Club also posted to Facebook, “I am so sorry for your incredible loss, we were blessed to have Alex work for us at the Kelowna Curling Club and he had such an incredibly kind soul. He was such a wonderful person. My heart is broken for all of you.”
Kelowna residents Frank and Dilys Singer owned and operated Shady Rest from 1953 to 1963, with the Pearson family taking over the famous restaurant in 1967, which was then sold to the Cawoods.
It's unclear when or if the Shady Rest Fish and Chip shop will reopen.