Gelato shop Stella Luna shutting down Wellington West location

Stella Luna Gelato Cafe's location on Wellington St. W (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)

Stella Luna Gelato Café says its store on Wellington Street West in Ottawa is closing permanently as of Saturday.

A post on the café's Facebook page on Friday announced a closing sale at 1130 Wellington St. W.

"It’s been our honour to serve the Wellington West community and hope to see you at one of our other locations in the New Year," the post said.

The announcement came just over a week after management said nearly all of the company's employees were laid off heading into the holidays.

"Our family business, along with countless others across the nation, is struggling. Economic conditions have worsened for families as they make every effort to meet their basic needs, leaving little to no income left for anything but the bare essentials," a Facebook post said last week.

Stella Luna's locations on Bank Street in Ottawa and on Main Street East in Merrickville will be closed between Dec. 24 and Jan. 3.

The business became embroiled in controversy during the 2022 "Freedom Convoy" protest in Ottawa, when a hacker posted a list of donors to the protest via the crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, revealing owner Tammy Giuliani had donated $250 to the fundraiser, something she later said she regretted.

The public backlash from the Freedom Convoy donation was apparently referenced in the Giuliani family's post on Dec. 14, announcing the decision to fire staff.

"There are those in our communities who have already dedicated themselves to online hatred and shaming," the post said. "There is no shame in working hard. And hatred and shame have no place in a just and civilized society."

The Giuliani family said it would operate the business through the winter, with the goal of hiring staff back in the spring.