BROOKINGS – “It’s gone.” 

With that declaration by Deb Waltman, chairman of the Brookings Public Library board of directors, the coffee shop doors, closed for about a year, will remain closed – forever.

It took about 10 minutes of discussion before the board voted 4-0, with one board member absent, to lay to rest what over the past 10 years or so had frequently been a struggling enterprise. What began as “The Mango Tree” later became “Sunflower Coffee and Tea” and under its third and final operator was “Books and Beans.”

With the board’s decision, library director Ashia Gustafson said she can now “go to the city and have it declared surplus property. Then I can sell it.” 

Included in the coffee shop inventory are a coffee grinder, espresso machine, Bunn drip-coffee maker and a convection oven.

The demise of the coffee shop might be viewed as a “perfect-storm” scenario. Being on the second floor, the shop is not in the flow of user traffic in or out of the library. Patrons had to make an effort to get there and use it; and that wasn’t happening often enough to make for a profitable business.

“It isn’t in the flow traffic of the library to come upstairs,” the director said. However, the shop did a reasonably good business during children’s activities, such as reading and summer programs; minders could enjoy a cup of coffee, tea or a treat while the kids were occupied.

Time also came into play. The library opens at 9:30 a.m. People want their coffee earlier in the morning, like 6:30 or 7 a.m.

Finally, the shop didn’t work out well as a business investment. 

”It’s a lot of work and a lot of time for not a lot of money,” Gustafson said. “It’s sad. It’s one of those things.”

She will discuss with library staff how to best utilize the freed-up space. Whatever plan is proposed will then be looked at by the library board at a future meeting.

Contact John Kubal at jkubal@brookingsregister.com.