Booda Beans

Two years ago, I met this charismatic woman. She was putting the finishing touches on her store — a coffee store to be exact. As I walked about the empty, echoing, caverness space that I now call my studio, the smell of fresh coffee drifted through. Her coffee. From her shop.

As we moved into our space next door, access to the coffee shop was met with wonder and gratefulness. A quick stop over for a snack, a cookie or a juice box for my kids. A milkshake if I was feeling naughty. Some M&Ms for that late afternoon sugar craving. Lunch, toasted on the grill and hand delivered a time or ten.

Today though, was the last chocolate chip cookie, the last cup of Coca-Cola, the last whisper of children’s voices mixed with Food Network.

Today, the windows were covered, the brown paper, tapped with masking tape, closing off the interior from the exterior. A makeshift wall that signals the end.

As a small business owner, I feel the pinch. I know it’s there. I can only imagine what small neighborhood coffee shops are feeling — or rather felt.

I can only hope that the owners — Dacey, Sarah & Jennifer — walk away from the experience having lived, laughed, loved and learned. That they’ll never fear the desire to own a small business, will remain steadfast entrepreneurs and that their next venture will be exactly that — an adventure.

So thank you for the friendship, the sandwiches, the wisdom, the laughter, the banging on the wall between our spaces, the quick exchanges, the borrowed chairs, juice boxes, string cheese and of course the sprinkle cookies.

Until next time …