The Blue Door Café is temporarily closed while the owners decide the ultimate fate of the coffee shop and sandwhich deli, located on Washington St. Though owner Sue Furr has high hopes of re-opening in early February, the business has hit touch economic times.
The restaurant has a sign on its door briefly explaining why it is are closed and encouraging customers to go to their website for more information and to tell them why it should stay open.
"It would be wrong for us to point the finger at Starbucks; it is a successful business, obviously they are doing a number of things right," the website reads. "Our sales were reduced by half starting late September. Starbucks didn't do that--Starbucks' customers that were formerly Blue Door customers did that."
Co-owner of Blue Door, Sue Furr, declined to comment further.
"There really is no more news than what you can find on our website," Furr said in an email.
Freshman Kyle Whistler was disappointed that the Blue Door closed temporarily. He believes that Blue Door and Starbucks can co-exist because of the difference in products that they each have available.
"Starbucks is a coffee shop. They don't really have solid food," he said. "Starbucks doesn't offer that."
Audra Blasdel, Director of Auxiliary Services and Community Relations, noted that unlike most other Starbucks locations, the Starbucks in Greencastle does not have anything beyond the coffee, select breakfast items, and pastries.
"It's not intended to be a place to eat," Blasdel said. "[It] was intentionally done so that we didn't step on the Downtown Deli or the Blue Door's lunch."
She added: "Blue Door and all the other local businesses around the square and in town were definitely thought of when bringing in Starbucks. We didn't say come right in (to Starbucks); we had a long conversation on how to do this strategically."
In fact, the university has even tried to help Blue Door stay open.
Brad Kelsheimer, vice president for finance and administration, noted that the university owns the property Blue Door sits on. The university offered to waive past due rent and provide the space rent free for several months, said Kelsheimer in an email. He said this was "an attempt to provide time for the owner of the café to come up with a viable operating model."
Blasdel said that after this offer was put on the table, the Blue Door announced they were temporarily closing.
Kelsheimer expressed disappointment at the possibility of the Blue Door closing. But both the administration and customers have hope that the Blue Door reopen.
"I just really wish Blue Door would re- open somehow," Whistler said. "If they could find a way that would be awesome."
Blasdel added: "It would be unfortunate for the community if [it] closed, but if that's the best decision for them, then that's the decision that they should make."
The last paragraph of the Blue Door's announcement on its website makes a plea for Greencastle residents to support local businesses.
"To those who remained faithful to the Blue Door, we thank you. To those who walk the 'Buy Local' walk, we thank you. Please continue to support our community's locally owned and operated businesses, as they are important to our community's wellbeing and unique identity."