The Archive’s closing announcement. The café was sold and a new one will open in about a month. — Photo by Christian Matts.
Another storefront on Bogart Street’s nascent commercial strip has changed hands this week as The Archive café closed up shop due to ongoing financial issues, according to customers.
Employees were giving away free coffee until 2 pm on Thursday, when the business shut its doors for good. Customers thereafter expecting lattes and pastries were instead greeted by a sign posted on the door indicating that a new café will open at the location in about a month. Customer Christian Matts told BushwickBK he overheard that the new owners currently own a café on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.
“After seven years of serving the fine residents of Bushwick, The Archive will be opening its doors for the last time today. We have loved being a part of this community,” read the sandwich board placed out front on the sidewalk. Patrons were given only one day of notice.
Calls made to the coffee shop Thursday evening and Friday morning went straight to the store’s voicemail, which still reported The Archive’s normal operating hours.
The Archive was one of the first businesses on the street, along with the Brooklyn’s Natural market, which followed the residential conversion of industrial loft buildings in Bushwick and East Williamsburg over much of the past decade. The café’s laid-back vibe, generous collection of DVDs, and periodic film screenings made it a popular destination for those heading to work in the morning and looking to pick up a video after work.
In the past two years, Morgantown has developed swiftly into a neighborhood, drawing Manhattan foodies decamping for Roberta’s as well as an array of businesses including a wine shop, a falafel restaurant, a sushi bar, and a new bakery in the coming months. In addition, new signs of nightlife are popping up on the surrounding streets, including bars The Narrows and Pine Box Rock Shop.
Bogart Street may be in the midst of a retail shake-up, even at this early stage. Earlier this year, Ad Hoc Art closed its doors for good — only to be replaced by a pro audio shop. The music store does brisk businesses selling sound mixing equipment and fog machines, but the art gallery kept late hours, holding events that brought more people to the area.
The new café, when it opens, will find a welcome constituency of residents in a prime location next to the L train — but it faces rising competition.
Foody McFood September 3rd, 2010 at 12:57 pm
I hope the new cafe is a Starbucks!!
Fok Starbucks September 3rd, 2010 at 3:37 pm
No to Starbucks!
Jane September 3rd, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Yes, patrons were given only one day’s notice, but for the record, employees were told the night before that everyone was losing their job, effective immediately. Kind of shitty, one must say.
Dresden September 3rd, 2010 at 5:28 pm
I wish we had a redlight district and pot cafes.
Tony September 3rd, 2010 at 6:52 pm
I wish all you fucking hipsters would just leave
Freddie Sutton September 3rd, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Three Angels by the Park Coffee House opened off the Jefferson L stop at Starr St. and Irving. http://halseyblog.tumblr.com/post/1060982139 the hood giveth and the hood taketh away.
the cuts September 3rd, 2010 at 8:11 pm
awww, now you nasal breathing pretentious cunts will have to find a new spot to waste space.
dustingrime September 3rd, 2010 at 11:34 pm
i’d really hate to see a starbucks move in here, but i’d be equally dismayed by a $.99 store, check-cashing, cuchifritos, botanica, beauty supply, laundromat, fried chicken, or mobile phone store.
how about an indy movie theater/coffee shop?
Rico September 4th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Hopefully, the new shop will keep the neighborhood in mind and have community events, late hours and be a reason for more people to move into the neighborhood.
HipsterA September 5th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
What’s gonna happen to all the talentless macbook wielding netsurfers hipsters sipping bad coffee served by equally disgusting wannabe working-class staff? This place deserves to close for serving customers “Ice Coffee” without any ice. Next to go will be Brooklyn Fireproof. Fuckin wankers! You won’t be missed.
Yorkaholic September 5th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
That’s nothing! The bar tender at Tandem literally demands “gratuity” angrily if your tip is below his required minimum. He also slams down drinks to European customers who don’t often tip. I have seen this happen to regulars who went there but never returned since, me included.
Foody McFood September 7th, 2010 at 11:10 am
……said as Tony sits at his Ikea desk in his “skinny” cutoffs, 80′s style hot pink t-shirt, and boat shoes; typing on his Macbook. That’s right Tony!!….. you can’t fool us!
thunkitgood718 September 7th, 2010 at 11:12 am
you’re totally right! how about inside your skull?
A Guy September 7th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Jeez, the message boards for Morgantown related posts are so full of hate. Archive was a decent place to get coffee and the folks working there were always pretty cool to me. I was here when it opened 7 years ago and am sad to see it go this way. Without knowing specifics, my guess is that the building owners are to blame for the sudden closure. If they are the same group of people who own most of the buildings in the area (no hate here, just a fact) then they have been strongarming many businesses out as the area is becoming more popular and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some funny lease stuff going on that allowed a sudden wild increase in rent.
george September 8th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
ditto, guy! can’t believe the hate… sort of stunned that some of it goes to fireproof, of all places. i go there once a week, and the bartenders are always ridiculously nice.
Dresden September 8th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I like taking the L train to A train to the aiport, where I board an airplane, ride for 3 to 8 hours, arrive in a different city, go to a nice cafe, and return. I do this in order to avoid the insulting bullshit of cafe orwell. Fuck orwell. Fuck it right up it’s stupid little ass.
thunkitgood718 September 9th, 2010 at 8:42 am
yo dresden,
orwell sounds like a place for great stories! can’t wait to check it out!!
Matt September 9th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
lol dresden! I’m bored at work and went back to old posts about Orwell. You were positive about it in early ’09. wtf happened in the year and a half?
Dresden September 10th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Well Matt, hearts and minds they fade – fade away.
blowberta's September 11th, 2010 at 12:39 am
maybe a four loko cafe will open up. fingers crossed, lips wet, bladder empty. we can call it barchive.