South Park’s Caffe Centro, a popular spot for tech workers, has closed after 30 years.
Screenshot via Google
Caffe Centro was a fixture of the early tech industry, with Twitter and Instagram’s first offices just steps away. But COVID-19 halted then pinched the cafe’s stream of customers, rendering its costs of operation unsustainable, Centro’s owner, Tom Buswell, told the San Francisco Chronicle. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.). Since the pandemic, businesses in San Francisco’s downtown in particular have struggled to recover as offices remain vacant and employees continue to work from home.
Caffe Centro is no exception. As Buswell told the Chronicle, the cafe was trying to sustain itself at 30% of its pre-pandemic activity. This financial strain, in addition to a recent break-in, ultimately led to his decision not to renew the cafe’s lease. The closure marks the end of the cafe’s 30-year run.
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The cafe offered breakfast and lunch menus that included salads, sandwiches, coffee and espresso drinks.
With time, it’s possible that the cafe could reopen. Caffe Centro workers announced in an Instagram post their intentions to save the cafe.
“Stay tuned for updates and a possible fundraiser,” the caption reads.