MACON, Ga. — A downtown favorite announced on Friday it would be closing its doors for the foreseeable future on Nov. 1.
Taste & See Coffee Shop & Gallery will close next Tuesday for the rest of the year with hopes of reopening in spring 2023. The coffee shop opened more than nine years ago on Poplar Street in downtown Macon.
Owner Kevin Reaves said the decision to close was heartbreaking, citing the COVID-19 pandemic strains on the workforce as the reason.
“We survived the hardest part, we thought. We made it through the lockdowns and stuff,” Reaves said. “We didn’t see the future down the road that the employee pool would be hard for us to find people.”
The shop will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday but will be open on Tuesday for those looking to make one final trip before they take an indefinite hiatus.
The decision will not impact the annual holiday lights on Popular Street, run by co-owner Brian Nichols, who is already hard at work getting it ready for the holiday season.
Reaves said they hope to return to the downtown as soon as possible, but some of it hinges on staffing. He said the nearly 10 years downtown meant a lot to him and his family, part of what made the decision to close so hard.
“My heart breaks for my kids because they want to see it succeed and move forward and be a part of it down the road,” Reaves said. “It is so emotional knowing, at least in the short term, it won’t be a part of the city downtown and to so many people that (Taste & See) has meant so much to.”
More than nine years ago, they invested in opening downtown Macon before revitalization started taking root. Reaves said they felt led to open the business there at the time and have been thankful to be a part of Macon’s downtown blossoming into what it is today.
Reaves said he appreciates the customers for supporting them over the years and hopes to return soon to continue to serve them great coffee and a peaceful atmosphere. He plans to take the down time to plan and consider some different options to get something in place early next year.
“I know so many people will miss it because it has been an integral part of downtown for so long. At this point in time, we really don’t have any other options,” he said. “Hopefully, by the spring, we will be ready to welcome people back... We are praying we can comeback with something bigger and better.”
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