After serving the neighborhood for almost five years, Sippy Cafe (200 Franklin St.) will close its Greenpoint location this October.
Sippy Cafe’s Cerina Shao told Greenpointers that the coffee shop’s rent in Greenpoint “nearly tripled” and that the proposed cost is “not sustainable for a small business.”
Shao said that the Sippy Cafe’s last day will be “sometime mid-October” and they must return their keys by the end of the month.
Shao noted that she and co-owner Judy Zhu are looking for other commercial spots in the neighborhood, but have been unsuccessful so far. “It is likely that if we do open another spot, it would be closer to East Williamsburg,” Shao stated.
Sippy Cafe’s closure announcement on Instagram explained that the owners “wore many hats” and learned a lot about running a small business. They explained that the duo was either “behind the bar” or “doing so much more behind the scenes.”
The post ended by thanking all of Sippy Cafe’s customers. “As we prepare to close this chapter, please accept our deepest and eternal gratitude,” it said. “Thank you to every person who stopped in for a cup, shared a kind word, recommended us to a friend, or even offered constructive criticism — because of you, we are a better us.”
The owners of Sippy Cafe have not had the easiest run in the neighborhood. An altercation involving the owner neighboring barbershop Musk Ox allegedly using racial slurs made headlines in 2022.
Sippy Cafe has been known for its dog-friendly atmosphere and a menu of traditional coffee drinks, tea, and Asian-inspired signature lattes like the black sesame latte, the iced strawberry latte, and the ube latte. The food menu includes pastries like croissants and cookies and egg and cheese sandwiches.
Sippy Cafe is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through mid-October.