The regulars at Books and Beans café, located on Durham Street, will have to find a new place to go for their daily coffees and chit chat.
The downtown café is closing March 27 after five years under the ownership of Liana Bacon. She would not comment on why she has chosen to close shop.
Sandy Favret, an I.T. Technician, said it was a sad day for him. “This is one of the few places where you can come and relax and know people in a non-alcoholic setting,” he said. “I have found very interesting and intellectual conversations here with everyone from bankers to social service workers.” Favret said it would take him awhile to find another place like Books and Beans.
Maggie Delmege said she used to come to the café every day for lunch when she worked nearby. “It was a great place to eat and read a book. You were never rushed to eat and run.”
Her sister, Louise Lane, said she heard about the closure on Facebook, the social media site. “We phoned our friends to come out today,” Lane said.
She used to be president of the Sudbury Arts Council. “This is a loss for the arts community. Books and Beans was always a supporter of visual artists, performers and poets.”
While Lane admitted there had been an upswing with many similar cafés in the downtown in the past 10 years, she still insisted there was none like Books and Beans.
Matt Moskal, a freelance journalist and Cambrian College student, said he was upset the cafe was closing. “This is somewhere I would go to meet people," Moskal said. “First thing in the morning I would come down and get a coffee here. There was always a great conversation to be had. You will not find customers like this anywhere in town.”
