Ashe Supply Co. Bids Farewell to Rivertown Coffee Shop

The Rivertown Warehouse District outpost of Ashe Supply Co closed its doors permanently over the weekend after a year and a half in the neighborhood. An tipster and former customer at the coffee shop tells Eater that a sign now hangs on the door giving notice of the closure. The original coffee shop continues to operate at 1555 Broadway St. in downtown Detroit.

AJ Nichols and business partner Mike Kennedy quietly opened the coffee shop’s second location at at 225 Jos Campau next door to Atwater Brewery in July 2017, bringing some much-needed caffeine and pastries to the area’s residents. In the posted statement, Ashe cites a “lack of continuous and interim walk through foot traffic” as the driving factor in the closure. “Our business is doing great overall, we are seeing growth in our downtown shop (which is in part to many of you who visit both locations) as well as in our wholesale accounts but the lack of business and struggles with our landlord are forcing us to make a very tough decision,” the owners write.

“We are so bummed about this because we love the vibe of this shop and watching such a great group of regulars use it exactly as it was intended to be, you’re part of our family now and hopefully we will see you at our other shop and around town in our great city,” the statement continues. “Our decision had to be based on the best interest of the immediate and long term goals of our business to ensure we continue to grow and evolve to serve you where we can best and again grow into new locations in the future that can sustain the immediate area.” Customers turned to social media earlier this month to lament the impending loss of the Rivertown location, which closed on Sunday, November 11.

Steve St. Germain [Courtesy photo]

Nichols and Kennedy opened the original cafe inside the M@dison Building in early 2016.

• Ashe Supply Co. Quietly Opens Second Cafe in Rivertown Warehouse District [ED]
• All Ashe Supply Co. Coverage [ED]
• All Closings Coverage [ED]
• All Coffee Coverage [ED]