Maryam and Travis Counter have announced that they will reluctantly close the original Good Times Café in Hinesburg on May 2 to focus on their larger, year-old location in South Burlington, which shares space with sister business Matryoshka’s Bakery. The Counters opened the 3,500-square-foot restaurant and bakery at 1330 Shelburne Road in late March 2025. They aimed to provide dedicated production space for Matryoshka’s, which Maryam, 43, launched in 2017 with macarons baked in the family’s licensed home kitchen. The South Burlington spot also allowed Good Times to expand to an all-day menu, adding breakfast to pizza, sandwiches, salads and Cajun dishes. The couple said they recognize that the closure of the 30-year-old Good Times Café is a loss to the Hinesburg community. Travis, 45, grew up in Hinesburg and remembers going to the café when he was in high school. The Counters had planned to keep two locations, but as they neared a year of juggling both, they recalled, something had to give. Facing business challenges led by staffing, they prioritized the new location because it has room for growth. “Maryam and I have been stretched too thin,” Travis said. “You need to be in two places at once. Especially in a small community, you become the face of the business.” Their three daughters were a big factor, the Counters said. The two younger ones have been pitching in at the cafés. “Basically, the only family time we have is when we all work together,” Travis said. One location will allow them to invest more time in family, in staff training and in expanding offerings, such as bringing back their popular crawfish boils. The Counters bought Good Times in 2019 from previous owners Chris and Tracy Applin. They said the Applins still own the building at 10805 Route 116 and another restaurant may move in. The post Good Times Café Will Close in Hinesburg to Focus on South Burlington appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less