Sad news from College Park, as Downtown Credo announced Monday they are closing their first-ever location, at 706 W. Smith Street.
The name-your-own-price coffee shop "is permanently closed and will not reopen," said the company in an email. They plan to continue operations at their other two Orlando locations, in the Health Village and the North Quarter.
"I'm simply honored that we were able to serve our neighbors for nearly a decade," wrote Ben Hoyer, founder and managing partner of Downtown Credo. "I am excited to welcome everyone to our two other shops, as we continue to serve direct-trade coffee for decades to come."
In a Facebook video, Hoyer said:
"Man, we have all learned how unpredictable things can be in these last several weeks, but one thing we always know is that there will be a season for everything. And I am bummed to share with you that Downtown Credo College Park location's season's coming to an end. We are so proud of all the things that have taken place within that little shop over the last nine years. People have celebrated weddings and babies."
That's where the video ends, but the company plans to continue its relationships with its growers in Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras, to make coffee available at its other two locations, 550 E. Rollins Street and 885 North Orange Ave.
The closure is attributed to "the open-ended effects of COVID-19 coupled with an increasing rent burden," said the statement.
"We are thankful that the shop fulfilled our CREDO of providing meaning, impact, and community to thousands of people, and we’ll be forever grateful to everyone that has supported."
You can pre-order an original fan shirt from the store's online shop, and learn more about the shop on their website.
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