The Duboce Triangle may be set to lose a longtime coffee shop come March of next year.
Jumpin’ Java (139 Noe St.) has been in the neighborhood for over six years a decade and, until recently, was planning to be there well in to the future (Ed. note: it's been under the current ownership for six years). But with its lease set to expire in March 2015, Jumpin’ Java's owners recently found out from their landlord that the business would be moved to a month-to-month lease instead of being offered long-term lease agreement. Included with the short-term lease would be the all-too-common steep increase in rent.
Speaking with owner Anna Chen about the decision to possibly close the coffee shop, we asked if the recent influx of new coffee spots, along with the change in rental terms, affected her decision to close. She said that the business is still doing quite well and she was planning to remodel, but with the uncertainty of the lease agreement she did not want to make any changes. She also suspected that the landlord was hesitant to offer a long-term deal due to recent attempts to sell the property.
Instead of sticking around to see what happens, Chen said that if she isn't able to work out a lease agreement, she will be closing the cafe. Having read the tea leaves, Chen and her family have already opened another coffee shop in Concord called Anna’s Café.
Let’s hope that Jumpin’ Java and its landlord can figure out an agreement and keep the cute neighborhood coffee house up and running. We'll keep you updated, but in the meantime, be sure to stop by and grab a hot beverage while you still can.