Ollie’s Schnitzel House to close Saturday

Ollie’s Schnitzel House will close its doors on Saturday, ending a short but heartfelt chapter for the European-inspired restaurant at 363 First St.

Co-owner Steffen Spiess and his fiancée, Kendra Rudneski, were unavailable to respond to inquiries from the Sun, but the business confirmed the planned closure through a series of social media posts that have drawn an outpouring of support from customers.

“It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we share this news,” the restaurant wrote in a post last week announcing the decision. “Ollie’s Schnitzel House will be closing, with our final day of business on January 17th. This decision was not made lightly and comes from unfortunate circumstances beyond our control.”

In the message, the owners thanked patrons for embracing the restaurant from the beginning, describing how what started as a business quickly became a place of connection and community.

“What started as a restaurant became a place filled with laughter, conversations, celebrations, and familiar faces that we grew to care about deeply,” the post read. “Your kindness, loyalty, and support have meant everything to us.”

On Sunday, Ollie’s shared a follow-up message expressing gratitude for the response since the announcement, calling the past week “emotional, overwhelming, and truly unforgettable.”

The owners encouraged customers to visit during the final week of operation to share a last meal and say goodbye, noting that reservations are strongly encouraged as availability is filling quickly.

“We are filled with gratitude for every customer who walked through our doors and made Ollie’s Schnitzel House feel like so much more than just a restaurant — you made it family,” the post stated.

Ollie’s Schnitzel House opened just over one year ago, debuting on Nov. 1, 2024, under the name Ollie’s European Market. The opening drew a lineup of eager patrons keen to experience the restaurant’s European offerings and German-inspired cuisine.

At the time, Spiess told the Sun the restaurant was deeply rooted in family history and tradition. He and Rudneski, along with Spiess’s family, opened the business as a tribute to decades of culinary experience in German cuisine.

“This new venture holds sentimental value for me,” Spiess said in a previous interview. “My grandmother and aunt once operated the beloved Hansel & Gretel Schnitzel House from the very same building.”

Spiess explained his family has been involved in the restaurant business for roughly 50 years and previously operated a German restaurant in Wawanesa, helping cement their place in local restaurant history.

The building at 363 First St. has long been associated with food and dining in Brandon. After Hansel & Gretel Schnitzel House closed in October 2020 due to health concerns of the owner, the space later housed Los Brothers Street Food until October 2022, followed by Robyn’s Lechon, a Filipino restaurant that opened in 2022.

As Ollie’s prepares for its final days, the owners say the closure is not a farewell to the relationships built along the way.

“This is not goodbye forever — it’s thank you, from the bottom of our hearts,” the social media post concluded.

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