The Broadway Roastery closes namesake location in Saskatoon

The beloved Broadway Roastery coffee shop on Broadway Avenue is closing its doors after 31 years, leaving the community it served feeling a little more tired and nostalgic.

The closure of this iconic coffee shop marks the end of an era for many residents who considered it more than just a place to get a cup of joe.

"We just decided to—like our note that we have up. We hit a fork in the road, and we just decided to streamline and just focus on the 8th Street location. It's time. It's been 31 years. Nothing lasts forever," the owner of Broadway Roastery Aileen Barilla said.

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For the regulars, the Broadway Roastery was much more than a coffee shop, it was a community hub.

"This is basically my office," Stefan Fuchs, a long-time patron said.

"I've watched the kids grow up here, and I've known the owner and family the entire time. Dozens of employees have come through. I'm friends with a ton of them still to this day, some that live in BC, some that live in Europe. It's been a community centre for a very long time," said Fuchs.

The Broadway Roastery first opened its doors in 1993, occupying prime real estate at the head of Broadway Avenue right across the river. Inspired by a family member’s successful coffee shop in Calgary, the business expanded to four locations.

"We'd have to credit it to my husband's cousin. He had a coffee shop in Calgary, and this was before the coffee craze. We got in at the right time. He wanted to come open one but he was too busy, so he says, 'Hey, why don't you guys do it,'" Barilla explained.

The decision to close the Broadway Avenue location is part of an effort to streamline operations.

"Broadway Roastery has been a staple of one of Saskatoon's cultural avenues. Their presence will be missed," said Anne-Marie Cey, executive director of the Broadway Business Improvement District.

Although the Broadway location is closing, the Roastery isn't disappearing. The focus will now shift to their 8th Street location, so if you're hooked on their beans, you can still find them.

The building's owner is already in the process of finding a new renter to take over the space.