POST FALLS, Idaho -- For years, people have been going to the Hot Rod Cafe in Post Falls. Unfortunately, after 14 years, this classic gathering place has closed its doors.

At the Hot Rod Café the lights are off, the meter reads expired and the kitchen is closed, more than likely for the last time.

"It's a very difficult decision, but it's one that had to be made," Hot Rod Café owner Rob Elder said.

"My 26th year as an owner and this is the most difficult couple days I have ever experienced."

This classic eatery was one of the first opened up along Interstate 90 and over the last year, Elder has seen businesses come and go.

"If you look around me here, there are 10 businesses around me that have closed … empty buildings everywhere," he said.

Now, after feeding millions of people, the menus are stacked up and the tables are empty.

"I don't know how many burgers or mozzarella cheese sticks that was but it's a lot," Elder said.

The final straw for Elder and the Hot Rod Café was the last three and a half years, which has seen a 40-percent decline in sales.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out man you can only cut so far," Elder said.

Because of this, the 45 employees at the café are now without a job.

"That was probably the most difficult thing to do, to look at those people," Elder said.

For now, Rob Elder is trying to remember the good times at the Hot Rod Café, knowing life is just taking him on a different highway.

"We had a lot of great events, we put on our Rod Run every year for the community," he said, adding optimistically, "You gotta have faith and believe things are going to happen, doors close and another one opens up."