There is now one fewer late-night eatery for Penn State students.

Grrrowlers, 421 E. Beaver Ave., has closed its doors for good. Little is left inside -- tables and chairs line the walls and counter, and Penn State paws still decorate the windows as it sits dimly in the strip mall among its brightly-lit fellow businesses.

A sign announcing Grrrowlers closing for winter break with no date for re-opening also remains hanging in the restaurant's door.

Co-owner Tom Weyandt said the local eatery was forced to close because of serious financial problems. Weyandt and co-owner Angie Smay had run out of money before the doors even opened, he said.

"We were financially strapped," he said.

Before the business's opening, Weyandt and Smay's financial backer pulled out of the business, saying he didn't think the eatery was going to make it, Weyandt said.

"This is a tough town," he said. "With time, though, we could have been an icon of State College."

Weyandt and Smay came up with the idea for Grrrowlers in January 2002 and the eatery opened to the public Oct. 1.

Some employees were surprised at the news of the business's sudden closing.

"I haven't talked to the owners since before break," Sara Raysinger (junior-arts education) said.

Weyandt and Smay told Raysinger they were closing over winter break because so many students would be going home for the holidays.

Once she arrived back to school, Raysinger -- who had already set up her spring work hours -- was surprised to find out that Grrrowlers had closed and she was out of a job. The restaurant was received well by the public, former employee Jeff Andruscavage (junior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) said, making the news of its closing confusing.

The business during the week was moderately slow, he said.

Once the weekend arrived, the business did not let up until 4 a.m., he added. It seemed as if they just had to pack up and go, Andruscavage said.

Andruscavage was home for winter break, getting ready to head back to school and received a phone call from Weyandt informing him they would not be re-opening.

Unless a new financial backer steps up, Grrrowlers is up for sale immediately, Weyandt said.