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Java City Brews Last Cups At Longtime Midtown Institution

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - You can find Java City in airports, malls, restaurants and hospitals, but you won't find the coffee at its original midtown Sacramento store anymore.

John, Tim, Cindy, Neil - they come from all walks of life, but when they come here to 18th and Capitol, they share a common ground: coffee.

"All of sudden you can't go where you want to go anymore," Tim said.

This hot spot, one where they've been meeting every day for years, poured its final brew Tuesday.

"He called me and told me on the phone and I was over here in nothing flat," Warren Chadwick said of hearing the news of the closing from a friend.

Java City's been their home away from home.

"We all know if there's something going on in your life, you can come here and discuss," Cindy Martin said. "I like that."

Three self-proclaimed javanistas started hand-roasting and air-cooling their coffee at this very store back in 1985.

Longtime customers will certainly miss their fix, but they'll be able to get their Java City elsewhere.

Java City coffee flies on American Airlines, sells at the Sacramento International Airport and is offered in hospitals, colleges and businesses around the world.

Java City tells CBS13 the company is shifting focus from retail to wholesale.

"I will always have great memories of this place," Neil Angelin said as he walked out with his last latte.

Josh is left wondering where else he'll get his custom-made tea.

"I want to frame this," he said, holding up his last cup. "I don't think I'll finish it. I'll just put it up somewhere."

Others might not be framing theirs, but these friends brought together by coffee were cherishing their last cups and conversations at Java City on Tuesday.

What will they do now?

"That's' what were debating," Warren said. "Where are we gonna go that'll let us hang like this?"

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