Cultivate Coffee Closed in February 2022

Cultivate Coffee & Tap House closed on February 5, 2022. The shop at 307 North River Street in Depot Town had operated since 2015.

Owner Sara Demorest announced the closure in late January. ClickOnDetroit's contemporary report says the owners cited the pandemic, limited indoor gathering space, and the city's failure to approve a heated outdoor tent or answer questions raised in mid-December.^{1ClickOnDetroit, January 31, 2022.} The report does not include the city's account.^{2Eater Detroit's 2022 closing roundup also lists the pandemic, limited indoor seating, and lack of approval for covered winter seating.}

The Beginning

Cultivate opened in 2015 as a social enterprise backed by Grace Ann Arbor Church. Ryan Wallace, the founding director, built it as a coffee shop and taphouse in a 2,400-square-foot Depot Town space with large windows facing North River Street, a communal table, a pastry case, and a small bar.^{3Concentrate's January 2015 opening report identifies Ryan Wallace, Grace Ann Arbor Church, the social-enterprise model, and the 2,400-square-foot space.}

The church-backed model combined a coffee shop, beer bar, meeting space, and nonprofit mission under one roof.

The Ownership Change

In August 2020, Wallace handed ownership to Sara Demorest, a Ypsilanti resident who took over during the pandemic.^{4ClickOnDetroit reports that Sara Demorest took over in August 2020.} The transition came amid COVID-19 restrictions and major changes in how customers used coffee shops and bars.

Demorest kept the business operating through part of the pandemic. The owners' closing letter described Cultivate as a meeting place and event hall. Ann Arbor Observer coverage also documented the food pop-ups that depended on the venue.

What Was Lost

Cultivate operated as a coffee shop, beer bar, nonprofit, meeting space, and pop-up venue. The owners' statement and local coverage document each part of that mix.

Across the street, Hyperion Coffee Co. operates on North River Street. The two businesses once put two coffee shops on the same short Depot Town corridor. After Cultivate closed, Hyperion remained.

In early 2024, Vertex Coffee Roasters opened a second location in Cultivate's former space.^{5Vertex Coffee Roasters' official history says its Ypsilanti location opened in early 2024 at 307 N River St.} It is a different business in the same 307 North River Street storefront.

The Tent

ClickOnDetroit reported that Cultivate had operated a heated outdoor tent during winter months for five consecutive years. According to the owners, the city did not approve the installation for winter 2021-2022 or respond to questions Demorest raised in December.^{2Eater Detroit's 2022 closing roundup also lists the pandemic, limited indoor seating, and lack of approval for covered winter seating.}

The owners named the permit dispute alongside the pandemic and limited indoor space. No single cause explains the closing in the available reporting.

Cultivate Coffee & Tap House was at 307 N River St, Ypsilanti. It closed February 5, 2022. The space is now Vertex Coffee Roasters.