Riverwest Co-op Cafe Closing

The Riverwest Co-op Cafe will close until further notice.

The cafe, 733 E. Clarke St., is a restaurant connected to the co-op’s grocery store. The grocery store will remain open. The co-op’s board of directors issued a letter to email subscribers Sunday announcing the closure.

“We are putting all of our energy into pivoting our operations in the hope of securing the future of the Co-op’s grocery store,” the letter said. “Unfortunately, we have looked hard at the numbers and deemed it impossible to continue to have regular cafe service.”

This letter is the latest in a series of notices.

In March, the board released a similar letter, which resulted in four new committee members and more than 20 store and cafe volunteers. There was also a 23% increase in sales from February to April.

In June, the board warned that the co-op may face permanent closure, and presented a series of strategies to conserve funds and generate revenue. Temporarily closing the cafe was an option, along with new loans, focused advertising campaigns, pausing member discounts, a member loan program, a fundraising campaign or new partnerships.

The co-op has been navigating a rough patch for a number of years, since a high point in 2016 after two years of “great profit,” said Wendy Mesich, a board member and the co-op’s volunteer coordinator. The extra money went to building up a savings account and reinvesting in the store.

As of May, the co-op drew $20,000 from its savings account and reported a loss of $58,238 for the year to date, according to meeting notes. That amount would cover half of the payroll for the business, said a board member. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds were integral to the business’s survival during the worst of COVID-19, but the co-op is still reeling from the effects of the pandemic in combination with inflation, changes in the food industry and being understaffed.

While the board works to secure funding, the cafe has to close, the letter said. However, customers may still be able to dine-in during the closure. The co-op plans to partner with businesses to hold pop-ups, provide grab-and-go meals, offer baked goods and more in the space.

The cafe serves vegan and vegetarian fare with an emphasis on local ingredients. It will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through July 10.