For the better part of the last two and a half years, I’ve spent about an hour a week sitting in this very spot, typing away my weekly column while surrounded by the hum of customers chatting over their lunch.

I’m sad to say Tuesday was the last day of my little ritual — at least at this particular restaurant.

It was not until Olfactory Hue Bistro announced it would be closing so owner and head chef Daysha Amster could spend more time with her family that I realized how frequently I attended the popular downtown Niles restaurant. I joked to Daysha that “I’m going to starve” once she closes her doors, but Olfactory’s delicious food is not the only reason I’ll miss it.

Businesses like Olfactory are a very important element in a downtown district’s charm.

It’s so nice to have a place where you feel at home, with a table you sit at regularly and staff you’re on a first-name basis with.

The rotating menu the bistro offered with constantly changing food options was probably my favorite aspect of Olfactory because, despite my picky palette, I trusted Daysha’s culinary skills enough to try new things. I was never disappointed.

As I sit here eating my cavatappi pasta — with a to-go order of mac-n-cheese set aside for later — it’s nice to see the rush of people here to support the downtown business owner on her last day in business.

For the last week or so, the lunchtime crowd has nearly doubled, evidence that the business — and the people who operated it — were popular in downtown. Daysha has so many friends and community members who support her mission, which undoubtedly led to her success, and she invested in others as well.

During the last five years since Olfactory opened, Daysha has repeatedly emphasized the importance of shopping local, reminding her large network of lifelong Niles friends that in addition to delicious healthy food options at the bistro, there are tons of awesome retail and restaurant opportunities downtown. An image of a wagon full of veggies and the words “eat local” has served as the restaurant’s symbol, and the restaurateur has been integral in the downtown district’s efforts to bring more people to Main Street.

Daysha is one of a few folks responsible for the resurgence this business district has seen in recent years. It was exciting to see her passion for downtown Niles come to life during Third Thursdays last summer and to see her partner with other businesses like the Brass Eye during tap takeovers.

As Daysha leaves to spend more time with family, I hope others step up and take the reins on the hard work she has done promoting Niles’ downtown.

Other downtown establishments like The Paris Soda Co., Pizza Transit and The Nuggett bring a similar charm to downtown. I look forward to finding a new regular lunch spot to spend my Tuesdays.

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7713, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com.