Local café’s final day benefitted area charities with “name your price coffee”
Photo courtesy of yelp.com | Brick Coffee Company was owned by a group of friends who decided to go into business together. After opening its doors in December 2016, it quickly became a favorite among the Xavier community. The owners decided to pursue other career opportunties and closed for good on Jan. 31.
Brick Coffee Company closed its doors for the last time on Thursday, following a decision by its owners to move in new directions. The Norwood coffee shop was a beloved local spot among many Xavier students.
The owners of Brick, a group of friends who decided to go into business together, collectively chose to pursue other career opportunities after more than two years operating the coffee company.
“Everybody had different life goals that we had to acknowledge in order to make the best decisions for our lives and for Brick as a whole,” explained former owner and administrative lead Jenesis Clark.
Opening in December 2016, Brick’s mission was centered around building community. According to Clark, the coffee shop attempted to “create a space where people could gather together” within Norwood, which the neighborhood otherwise largely lacked.
Because of its proximity to campus, Brick provided a local meeting place and study spot for many in the Xavier community.
“Xavier students and faculty alike would use our space for meetings or homework,” Clark said, who even noted slower days during academic breaks or when classes weren’t in session. “We really did appreciate Xavier and all the business that the community drove.”
Combined with the 10 percent student discount that the coffee shop offered to Xavier students, Brick provided a positive atmosphere and aesthetic, according to junior art education major Emily Hanes.
“I loved the drinks. I had one of the best cappuccinos of my life there,” Hanes said. “I loved the people, the vibes, the music. I loved everything about it.”
“When I found out that Brick would be closing, I was really sad, and also kind of angry, I took it really personally. It was just one of my favorite places in the world, so knowing that it was no longer gonna be there was a tough thing to wrap my mind around.”
Like Hanes, many in the Xavier community were shocked and disappointed to discover that Brick would be closing at the end of January.
“I was so sad to see a local coffee shop so close to campus go away,” first-year biomedical sciences major Artemis Nikolopoulos said.
“It was definitely a great place to study and catch up with friends.”
Thursday, Brick’s final day of operation, was “name your price coffee” day, and — in line with the coffee shop’s emphasis on community — all proceeds benefited three local nonprofits.
In terms of creating a space within the Norwood community for people to gather, Clark said that the Brick team hopes that “someone else will come along to continue what we started.”
By: Clare Ravizza | Guest Writer