What happened to this coffee shop?

[Tig3rzhark]

I would pass by this coffee shop every now and then. Over time, it just hasn't been opened lately.

Does anyone have any more info on this place?

[Johnnny5]

There was a thread about the place on the old forums. If I remember correctly the owner/operator kept very inconsistent open hours and some days did not even open at all. Nothing worse than rushing to get your morning caffeine fix and finding the doors locked .

[Bearinabox]

Josh is around. Every time I run into him he says he's reopening in a few months. Never say never, I guess.

[charlottepaul]

Must be nice to run a business where you can only open the place when you feel like it!

[stasu1213]

The building was in better use when it was a tee shirt apparel shop in the late 1980s

[cmubryan]

I was there probably about a year ago or so. Nice staff, nice place, OK coffee. Cool venue.

[Tig3rzhark]

Maybe the place needs a new owner, that will keep the place open. We could use more coffee shops.

[Gsgeorge]

This is a great location, and an interesting little piece of modern architecture. It makes a perfect coffee shop. However I am guessing it is difficult to heat, and the local vagrants surrounding Capitol Park probably don't make it the easy to keep the riffraff out. Not to mention the owner seems busy or preoccupied with other things.

The renovation of the Farwell Building [[if it happens) and the improvements at Capitol Park might be just enough incentive to see it reopen on a consistent basis. I just hope the owner finds a suitable manager or passes it on to an owner that will be able to run the place 5-7 days a week during the 'coffee shop hours,' like 7 - 10.

[n7hn]

so now people are abandoning cute, functioning, well maintained buildings, that actually draw in customers????? Wish I had cash to waste......Its a welcoming looking lil place

[carlscomputers]

Tom Cruise & his son ate there during filming of Red Dawn...They were waving out of the big windows... just a bit of trivia...

[buzzman0077]

It's so close to where I live. If it were open my wife and I would be in there a few times a week. I never understood what happened to it.

[Rocko]

I'm right with GS George, I think that as Capitol Park comes along, other buildings surrounding the park are renovated/restored and reopened, this coffee spot could be in a really prime location. It's a really cool little bit of mid-century modern architecture on such an awkwardly shaped lot on that corner. I used to drive right past there two mornings per week on my way to work...usually around 8:45. Sometimes the shopkeep would be inside, sometimes not.

I wonder how old that building is? Could be some tax credits for window repairs [[ie weatherization) if the structure was designated. Michigan is making a fantastic push to better document mid century modern architecture around the state, through the State Historic Preservation Office.

[texorama]

I went in there several times in winter when I was lucky enough to find it open, and I never thought the heat was a problem. It's not that big, and the second floor was downright cozy.

[East Detroit]

Done in by stale bagels?

[DetroitScooter]

There are a number of later-opening coffee/breakfast shops in the Broadway/John R area. I've never understood the concept of catering to the hotel/office crowd by opening either mid-morning or at 8:15 or something. If you can't open by your posted opening time, please change the opening time or don't open at all.

[michigansheik]

i thought due to its proximity to bouzouki ii that the staff could come on over before or after a shift to enjoy some wi-fi and coffee.....that would then bring on some other business too right? seriously though i think when the capital park buildings get rehabbed and occupied [[timeline unknown) there will be some decent foot traffic for josh to capture. hes a good guy and hard worker imo, he did not have enough business, it was not a lazy/aloof operator issue.

[DetroitDad]

Actually, it did have some start-up glitches to work out, especially with the hours. Many of our other CBD businesses had similar issues that seem to have been forgotten once the issues were fixed.

Unfortunately, Urban Bean Co had it's furnace give out early on, or so their Facebook page reported. I know there was some worry about the pipes freezing, and a charity event to get things going again. Often, on my walk past the building on the way to work, I would see frost on the inside of the windows, blocking the view of the inside. It's a good sign that we haven't seen any frost lately, and the interior has been kept up.

[DetroitDad]

I'm right with GS George, I think that as Capitol Park comes along, other buildings surrounding the park are renovated/restored and reopened, this coffee spot could be in a really prime location. It's a really cool little bit of mid-century modern architecture on such an awkwardly shaped lot on that corner. I used to drive right past there two mornings per week on my way to work...usually around 8:45. Sometimes the shopkeep would be inside, sometimes not.

I wonder how old that building is? Could be some tax credits for window repairs [[ie weatherization) if the structure was designated. Michigan is making a fantastic push to better document mid century modern architecture around the state, through the State Historic Preservation Office.

Agreed!, sealing the Farwell and revamping Capitol Park would be nice. The upper floors of the office buildings across the street and kiddy corner are move in ready, as is the mostly vacant Stott and building at State Street and Shelby Street.

Unfortunately, Some city officials and organizations don't seem to understand that these pocket parks and public plazas [[Capitol Park, Harmonie Park, Time Square/Rosa Parks Transit Center, and the Skillamn Library Block) could be quality and dense urban neighborhood. Instead, they have opted to demolish parts of them, or destroy them by making them Disney like tourist attractions that never pan out [[Paradise Valley, in all it's EPCOT like glory, could have been a nice complement to one of the roads or plazas surrounding the Science Center and The Museum of African American History. You'd have kids on field trips drawn in for a cultural experiance, and would have been a great compliment to the MoAMH).

[wolverine]

Inconsistent hours for an easy to run business. Sounds like the typical Detroit way.

[kathy2trips]

I love the mid-century modern, Piet Modnrian look of the building. The orange is especially retro-cool.

[j32885]

The Urban Bean Co. interior and exterior looks like an A&W.

[1KielsonDrive]

This is a great location, and an interesting little piece of modern architecture. It makes a perfect coffee shop. However I am guessing it is difficult to heat, and the local vagrants surrounding Capitol Park probably don't make it the easy to keep the riffraff out. Not to mention the owner seems busy or preoccupied with other things.

The renovation of the Farwell Building [[if it happens) and the improvements at Capitol Park might be just enough incentive to see it reopen on a consistent basis. I just hope the owner finds a suitable manager or passes it on to an owner that will be able to run the place 5-7 days a week during the 'coffee shop hours,' like 7 - 10.

It has more to do with the owner than anything else. I'm sure all of the problems mentioned are impacting the place, but Josh is just a free-spirit. He's living in the building and has always had plans to re-open. When it will actually happen is another thing.