San Jose’s Cafe Crema, known for its charming, cozy feel and homey exterior, closed its doors for good on Friday marking the end of an era for one of the city’s most frequented mom and pop coffee shops.
A political bastion on The Alameda — an iconic San Jose neighborhood — the original Cafe Crema first opened its doors nearly 13 years ago and had since been a community gathering space where local politicians, grassroots activists and business leaders met to discuss some of the city’s most pressing issues.
But in an interview with San José Spotlight this week, owner June Tran said the decision to close came after a drawn out legal battle left her with no other option.
The business was sued two years ago for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act after a San Jose man in a wheelchair was unable to enter the shop when he could not get past the steps leading up to the entrance, according to the lawsuit. While his friend went inside to buy him a coffee, the man left frustrated by the experience.
“I’ll miss the building a lot, I’ll miss our customers and all of the memories we have,” Tran said. “It was hard to make this decision.”
Read the source article at San José Spotlight