Pastoral Closing Cheese And Wine Shop Chain After 15 Years

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Pastoral, the chain of French-style cheese, bread, and wine shops, is closing all four of its Chicago locations, after 15 years in business.

"Unfortunately, not all dreams are meant to last forever, but that does not mean that they were not worth pursuing. Times, consumer preferences and shopping patterns change and we simply did not have the resources to make the type of changes necessary to sustain Pastoral for another 15 years," co-owners Greg O'Neill and Ken Miller wrote in a letter to customers.

Pastoral's owners urged customers to come out to buy the last of their stock, so they can pay off employee salaries and other expenses.

The chain started in 2004 with a single shop at 2945 N. Broadway in Lakeview, and expanded with three other shops in the Loop, Andersonville, and the French Market in the West Loop; as well as the restaurant next door to its flagship store.

"Our dream of bringing the Windy City small production cheese, charcuterie, wine, beer and other culinary creations from hard-working, passionate artisans from our original snug 383 square feet in East Lakeview grew into something broader and more impactful than we ever thought possible," the owners wrote in the letter to customers.

The Andersonville shop closed last year.

The French Market shop closed on Saturday. Bar Pastoral will serve its last meals on Sunday. The Loop store will be closed on Sunday, but will be open for its last days on Monday through Wednesday. The Lakeview shop will be open Sunday, and possibly on Monday and Tuesday.