Much to the dismay of Kent State students and alumni alike, the Starbucks located in the historic Capt’n Brady’s building on the Kent campus will close its doors today.
The decision to close the location came from the Starbucks Corporation after the pandemic tanked the café's sales.
The coffee shop’s closure leaves many worried about the future of the historic Brady’s building. The lot is owned by Kent State University.
Joseph Graham with the Office of the University Architect says that while he can’t speak for the administration, he is unaware of any concrete future plans for the site.
“I do think there's an interest in in maintaining the structure of the old Brady's cafe," said Graham. "You know it has some historic sort of nostalgia for the community and for the university.”
Graham says there is the potential to re-lease the building to another business or have a university function move inside.
When asked for comment, Kent State administration said they are unaware of tenancy changes at the moment. They have not commented on the Starbuck's closure.
