Despite the announcement made on Espresso Royale’s main website today stating the coffee shop’s locations will be closing, the locations for Espresso in Champaign-Urbana will remain open and transition to new ownership.
The Espresso locations outside of Champaign-Urbana will indeed close, but here is a statement from General Manager Doug McCarver about the news:
Don’t believe the hype! Espresso Royale lives on! COVID-19 has forced the Michigan company that briefly owned Espresso Royale, LLC, to exit the coffee business. The Master Roaster, Ken, who is a UI alum, and got his start as a barista at the Espresso Royale at 1117 W. Oregon street, and a small group of people that have been slinging coffee in CU for Espresso Royale since it was called ERC, (Espresso Royale Caffe, with two F’s!!!) have opened a new roasting company and re-opened the Champaign-Urbana cafes that we all have known and loved for years. The new companies are called M-36 Coffee Roasters, and Espresso Royale CU (or you can call it ERC-U for short).
We will still be roasting, blending, bagging, and serving the Espresso Royale Coffees, drinks, pastries and service that you have grown to love. We currently have our Drive Thru on Neil Street with walk up ordering and new expanded patio seating, and our Location at the Village at the Crossing with online ordering ahead and patio seating, both open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The Urbana Flagship store should be opening within the next few weeks. We are so happy to be able to continue the Espresso Royale tradition in CU!
Top image from Espresso Royale Facebook page.
