Donna's in Columbia Closed Suddenly After 10 Years

 of Columbia closed over the weekend, ending a 10-year run at its location off Snowden River Parkway.

The owners decided to close the restaurant after a dispute over the lease, according to Katie Houston, manager of the Columbia location. She said the owners told her on Friday that the restaurant would close on Sunday.

"It was a big shock," said Houston. "That's an understatement."

She said Donna's would not be reopening elsewhere in Columbia or Howard County. The restaurant opened 10 years ago this month, said Houston.

The company, which also has two locations in Baltimore, announced the closing on its website with the following statement:

We are sorry to tell you that Donna’s, Columbia will be closing this weekend and classes canceled.  Thank you for your support over the last 10 years. We will keep you updated on our next step.

No one answered when Patch called the business office on Monday morning.

Local blog HowChow broke the news on Saturday: "It was a popular place with a nice menu, so it's a bummer to see them close."

"It was a really, really special place," said Houston. "The people here generally loved each other."

The restaurant was known for its gourmet sandwiches and ever-changing dinner menu. It was located at 5850 Waterloo Road.

In recent years, Donna's saw increased competition in the area from , which opened in the same business center off of Snowden River Parkway in 2007.

Houston said that wasn't the reason for closing.

"They had their customers and we had ours and we shared some," said Houston.

She said the location may have contributed.

"It was a hard spot to find," said Houston.

On Sunday evening, employees, ex-employees and customers gathered for the "last supper" and had a small party, according to Houston.

"It was fun," said Houston. "We had to have a proper send-off."

Some of the 25 employees that worked at the Columbia location will stay with Donna's and work at one of the company's Baltimore locations, according to Houston.

Did you enjoy eating at Donna's? Share your memories of the restaurant in the comments.