Raman’s coffee shop closes Thursday

Julia Scott has a farewell article on Raman Bechar’s coffee and chai shop, which closes Thursday. She also notes that in addition to the hole this will leave in the community, the laundromat next door cannot be replaced.

At 5 a.m., he lets himself into his cafe, Coastside Gourmet Coffee and Chai, and starts grinding coffee for his first customers. There’s a line out the door by 6 a.m. and by 8 a.m., he’s served more than 100 cups of coffee, hot chocolate and his signature chai to customers who know him as well as they would a close friend.

On Thursday, Bechar’s coffee shop will open for the last time. He, and the laundromat next door, have been evicted in favor of a Peet’s Coffee.

...

Opening a new laundromat in town is nearly impossible due to the scarcity and expense of sewer permits. And Chai, 72, says he is too old to start over.