Vicki Pickering, left, and Krit Lamere stand outside of Kricki’s on Friday, the cafe’s last day. (Enterprise photo — Ben Gocker)

TUPPER LAKE — Kricki’s, a casual cafe here in the village, closed its doors for good on Friday.

Krit Lamere and Vicki Pickering opened the restaurant in 2014 after years of working together at the Wawbeek Quick Stop. The eatery was located right across the street from the lumberjack statue on Demars Boulevard.

It’s not on account of poor business that Lamere and Pickering are closing.

“Business was great,” Lamere said. “Our customers are mad at us, but we just wanted to stay friends.”

The long hours and demands of running a restaurant had begun to take a toll on the pair.

“She’s sad,” Lamere joked about Pickering, “because I wouldn’t hang out with her anymore outside of work.”

Though Lamere may have been joking about her business partner’s emotions, many customers chimed in on the restaurant’s Facebook page to commiserate.

“That sucks — sorry to hear this news,” Ron Belleville wrote. “Tupper needs a place like you maintained.”

Other new Tupper businesses in the restaurant industry, like Well Dressed Foods and Raquette River Brewing, have expanded due to their success. But growing a business was never the most important thing for Pickering and Lamere, and the end of their cafe has a decidedly upbeat feel about it.

“We’ll probably be able to hang out again after work, go kayaking and stuff,” Lamere said. “I think it really is the happiest end to a business.”

Before paddling can commence, they first need to clean out the old restaurant and liquidate their equipment.

“We have an ice cream machine for sale,” Lamere said. “A couple nibbles, but no bites.”