Cafe Kopi closing after 30+ years in downtown Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — After more than three decades of business in downtown Champaign, Cafe Kopi will be permanently closing this winter.

As announced on their Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, on Dec. 15, the coffeehouse will be open for the last time. Following its opening in 1993, the closure will occur just after the company turns 31-years-old on Dec. 8.

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"Cafe Kopi holds a special place in the hearts of many, and while we are saddened by this chapter's end, we believe that all good things must come to a close," said Cafe Kopi owner, Douglas McCarver. "Serving generations of patrons has been both an honor and privilege."

The cafe is hosting its last Parade of Lights, serving hot cocoa on Nov. 30 with extended hours. Anyone with gift cards and loyalty rewards will still be able to use them at the campus Kofi location in the Gies College of Business and at any Espresso Royale location.

"We are so very grateful to the wonderful customers who have supported us through the years," McCarver said. "You are what has made Cafe Kopi such a special place. Coffeehouses are not just businesses; they are communities where lasting connections are made, and lifelong friendships are forged."

Cafe Kopi was known as downtown's original coffeehouse. It was a large part of the area's resurgence in the 1990s and 2000s.

Until its goodbye in just a couple of months, the cafe will continue to serve as a beloved gathering spot for the community. They will continue to post on social media about any more details and updates to come.

"We've seen some of you through multiple degrees," the company added. "We've seen your kids toddle around and in the blink of an eye we're interviewing them for their first jobs. From first dates to casual lunches to your daily coffee on the way to work, we've traded a lot of smiles with a lot of you."