Cafe Kopi, a popular coffeehouse, is closing its main store in downtown Champaign for good on Dec. 15. Gift cards from the main store will still be accepted at the Cafe Kopi branch in the Gies College of Business building, which will remain open, and at all Espresso Royale locations.
A longstanding fixture of Champaign’s restaurant-lined Walnut Street, the cafe’s closure marks the end of a 30-year run for what many consider “downtown’s original coffeehouse.”
“Coffeehouses are not just businesses; they are communities where lasting connections are made, and lifelong friendships are forged,” said Douglas McCarver, owner of Cafe Kopi and the Espresso Royale coffee chain, in a press release last month. “Serving generations of patrons has been both an honor and privilege.”
In recent years, Champaign’s downtown district has struggled to outlast the economic blow from the COVID-19 pandemic. While plans for revitalization are in the works, the lack of renovations and new businesses has left many downtown businesses in dire straits, including Cafe Kopi.
“The area is not the same as it used to be,” McCarver said, explaining why he decided not to renew Kopi’s downtown lease. “We can’t survive on just the store opening on the weekends … We have our regulars, but it’s not enough to keep us going at that location.”
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
Elena Cleary, senior in ACES, said that she would miss the presence of Cafe Kopi in the downtown area, reminiscing about the festivals and the “artisans of any kind” that flourished in the vicinity of the coffee house.
“It was a safe place for people on campus while being off-campus,” Cleary said. “I always got good vibes from there.”
On Nov. 30, the cafe will host extended hours during Champaign’s annual “Parade of Lights” festival to celebrate the longevity and lasting impact of the business.
“Cafe Kopi holds a special place in the hearts of many, and while we are saddened by this chapter’s end, we believe that all good things must come to a close,” McCarver said.
