The ZZU Bar & Grill shut down abruptly over the weekend.

The bar has been around since 2006, co-owner Cathy Cooper said. Her husband, Douglas Cooper, said due to a shortage of funds, they were unable to continue the business. He said they hope to re-open if they can find a new operator to run day-to-day business, but are still unsure what the future holds.

Several employees, such as bartender Erika Coleman, said they were surprised when the bar closed down and they lost their jobs.

“This weekend, it was hard to accept that the ZZU got shut down,” she said. “It was kind of like, well, a second home basically.”

Former manager Josh Schuerman said he was confused and shocked when the bar closed, and he has started a GoFundMe in hopes of buying the bar and re-opening it himself.

“There’s no reason that [we] shouldn’t have been given a heads up or a warning,” Schuerman said. “I mean, even our patrons, we had plans and reservations that were on the football game that Friday.”

Cathy Cooper said both she and Douglas Cooper are WSU alumni and have always wanted to operate a bar in what is commonly known as Apartment Land, the residential area around Terre View and Merman Drives. She said she and her husband met at a bar, Rusty’s, which was near where the ZZU is currently.

“It’s sad for us to close down,” she said. “We’ll always have a soft spot for bars in that area.”