Beloved March Street coffee shop, Cosmic Cup, is closing permanently in the wake of COVID-19 and the college’s expansion plan.

According to a statement on the Monocacy Coffee Co. website, “Complications regarding COVID-19, as well as planned phase 2 expansion of Lafayette College’s campus have brought [Cosmic Cup] to an unfortunate impasse, and planned demolition of our occupancy shows that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.”

The college’s phase 2 expansion plan will include a demolition of buildings from March Street to Clinton Terrance.

An Instagram post on August 27 on the @cosmiccupcoffee account relayed much of the same information and encouraged readers to “Stay safe [,] Shop local [,] And Vote this November!”.

Cosmic Cup was opened in Easton in 2005 by Troy Reynard. At the time of its closing, it was owned by Monocacy Coffee Co., which was started by friends Dan Taylor and Matt Hengeveld.

For many, Cosmic Cup has been an integral part of the Lafayette experience for as long as they can remember. As they closed their doors for good this past month, many students and members of the Easton community reflected on their time spent with the business.

Alexandra Kasparian ‘22, who said she frequently sports a Cosmic Cup graphic tee, thinks back on her time spent in the cafe fondly.

“It just made me feel really good to be in [Cosmic] all the time. There is always such a good energy. Always people having good conversations, relaxing, taking a break from being busy. I used to love to sit on the counter in the front and just look out the window and people watch and do my work,” Kasparian said. “The staff was always very excited, they played really good music, and I always just loved every second of being there, I walked in and I never wanted to walk out. It will be truly, truly missed.”

Connor Winiarczyk ‘20 also frequented Cosmic on a daily basis.

“I never thought a coffee shop could mean so much to me,” Winiarczyk said. “It was where I went to meet friends and escape the chaos of the day. Somehow, everybody in there always seemed to be in a good mood, and the staff was upbeat, friendly, and at times hilarious. Much love to Matt, Tate, Heather, Lola, Jordan, and everyone else I’ve had the pleasure of buying coffee from over the years.”

“Learning they were closing for good felt like losing a close friend, and I’m sure many others feel the same way,” Winiarczyk added.

Abigail Schaffer, Lafayette College Transition Specialist and long-time College Hill resident, worked at Cosmic when it first opened in 2005 at its old location next to College Hill Tavern. Schaffer emphasized the importance of Cosmic’s opening.

“Before Cosmic came around, there weren’t many quaint coffee shops on College Hill. You could grab a cup of coffee from Wawa or some breakfast at Tracy’s, but this kind of coffee shop was new to town. The original owners, Troy and Kathy were awesome to work for as well. They brought a cool, hip new vibe that attracted many customers and people gravitated towards that. Very similar to what many Lafayette College students remember it as now,” Schaffer wrote in an email.

Schaffer remembered her favorite drink, the old frozen hot chocolate, and the memories she shared with Cosmic throughout the years.

“One of my favorite memories was walking there in the snow and spending hours writing papers for school while watching the snow fall down. Something I will definitely miss, but always know that Cosmic will have a special place in my heart,” Schaffer wrote.

Within 24 hours of Cosmic Cup’s Instagram post announcing their closure, over 75 people, including current and past students, commented on the post.

“Will miss you guys more than you know!! Truly made my 4 years at laf special and I will never forget all of the cups of coffee shared with friends here. Wish I could stop by one more time :’)” one user commented.

“Thank you for all the early mornings and long days!!!” another user commented.

In the statement on the Monocacy Coffee Co. website, Hengeveld urged the community to support Easton’s other small businesses.

“We’d like to call on the College Hill and Easton community to please support the many great businesses we have. While circumstance has brought about Cosmic Cup’s unfortunate demise, there are many businesses that are ailing and need your continued support.”

Hengeveld also expressed his gratitude for all those who have supported Cosmic throughout the years. 

Monocacy Coffee Co. will still be operating out of Lit Coffee Roastery and Bakeshop in Bethlehem. The company’s products can also still be found at Sam’s Bagels in Forks Township and Jumbars Cafe in Bethlehem.