Java Rose bids farewell to coffee bar
BY ALYSSA MEIER
Editor
Half of Washburn’s Java Rose Floral and Cappuccino shop will dissolve this month, as the 10-year-old coffee bar is scheduled to pour its last drink on Feb. 23.
The decision to close the coffee portion of Java Rose was not an easy one, Java Rose and 83 Express owner Brett Narloch said Monday. Narloch, who purchased the joint businesses in February 2017, said the coffee business has been breaking even since before he took over, and that it was no longer making money.
“The economics of it just weren’t working out,” Narloch said. “It didn’t make sense to keep it open.”
Narloch said he spent some time examining his options, looking at different vendors and other alternatives to shutting down the coffee portion of Java Rose. But, Narloch said, after many sleepless nights, he decided to close the business’s barista bar. This doesn’t mean customers will lose their espresso drinks, though, as Narloch said he’s bringing in new machines to fill that need.
“We decided to bring in Caribou Coffee machines, and we will be able to continue serving all the same drinks as we serve now, for the most part,” Narloch said.
Narloch said the sophisticated self-serve equipment will grind and brew coffee beans fresh for each order, and will offer classic favorites, like mochas, Americanos and lattes.
