DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) – Kona Craft Kitchen, a restaurant in Bridge Park, announced its abrupt closure on Monday, just one week after earning multiple first-place ratings at the Taste of Dublin festival.

The restaurant, located at 6757 Longshore St., opened in March 2022. After operating for about a year and a half, Kona announced its closure on social media.

“It is with unbearable sadness that we announce the closing of Kona Craft Kitchen,” the post read. “We have dreamed of opening Kona for many years to bring all that we love about food and coffee to life. It is a dream we are grateful for and deeply mourn the loss. We want to sincerely thank our staff and the central Ohio community for all the love [and] support this last year and a half.”

According to court records, Kona’s owners, Frank and Stacy Leary, had fallen into debt. They faced two separate civil cases in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. 

One case filed in October 2022 lists the Learys as defendants for defaulting on payment of a loan totaling more than $3.1 million. A judge granted plaintiff Sam McAdow summary judgment in September 2023, meaning the court ruled in his favor without going to trial.

An additional suit filed in May by Bracket Builders Inc. alleged the company loaned Kona over $621,000 for restaurant improvements, and claims the restaurant failed to make payments on an agreed time schedule. The case had yet to reach a conclusion as of Tuesday, but Bracket Builders also filed for summary judgment.

Kona Craft Kitchen offered all-day dining, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant featured coffee, a bakery and craft cocktails. 

On Oct. 4, the restaurant won first place ratings in two categories at “Taste of Dublin”: best food offering and best overall display. The event showcased local restaurants, caterers and food vendors, and the contest winners were chosen by guests who sampled the food.