THE coffee shop serving food and drinks at a popular co-working spot will be leaving at the end of this month after five years.
Cargo coffee shop owners Selda Kumcur and Liam Montgomery said they want to “embrace a gentler pace and create more balance in our lives”.
Founded in 2018, Cargo grew from its original Esplanade location to serve coffee and baked goods at The Yard in the Jersey Museum and at the Santander Work Café, which opened in 2021.
Only The Yard location is to remain open, with the Santander tender coming to an end and the Esplanade building due to be renovated.
Some staff have been made redundant by the changes, but the owners said those affected “received generous notice and support throughout”.
Ms Kumcur and Mr Montgomery said it was the “perfect moment of transition” to give their full attention to The Yard, adding: “Although we initially intended to open a new site and secured what felt like the perfect location in town, as plans progressed, we recognized that embarking on a new venture no longer aligned with our priorities at this time.”
Deciding not to renew the tender at the Santander Work Café was “a very personal decision”, the couple said.
Ms Kumcur and Mr Montgomery added: “After more than 20 years in the hospitality industry, we find ourselves wanting to embrace a gentler pace and create more balance in our lives.
“Managing multiple ventures has always been both rewarding and demanding.”
Thanking their team, customers, Santander and the wider community, the Cargo owners said they were “excited” to focus on The Yard and “continue building it into a place we are proud of and passionate about”.
The Santander Work Café said in a Facebook post that “another chapter” would begin in the co-working space, with another local coffee shop due to take over the food and drink area.
