Facing ‘incredibly difficult’ economy, coffee shop to close — ‘sad news’ in Meridian
A neighborhood coffee shop in Meridian plans to close at the end of the month.
But the local brand won’t disappear.
Bright Eyes, 6360 North Saguaro Hills Ave., will shutter after a final day July 31. In the future, it will serve the community through a Bright Eyes mobile coffee trailer, according to a Facebook post from owner Jessica Maschmann.
A former employee, Maschmann took over the business in 2018, when it was called Coffee Studio. She launched Bright Eyes in August 2020.
In addition to coffee and espresso drinks, Bright Eyes offers beer, wine and cider, along with food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Calling the shop “beyond blessed,” Maschmann wrote that “special doesn’t even really begin to describe it all.”
“In a perfect world, things like this would last forever. ... While Bright Eyes is not ending, we are changing. The current economy is incredibly difficult to run a small business in, and many of us tiny one-stop shops are having to shift gears to make sure we can sustain the long run.”
Bright Eyes is in the early stage of creating a mobile coffee operation with a slightly smaller menu, Maschmann wrote. The trailer will have weekly routes and be able to serve “schools, offices, neighborhoods, parties, weddings,” Maschmann wrote. “... We will be working diligently over the next couple weeks to update our website and get some things going on our social media for everyone to follow.”
Commenters on Bright Eyes’ Facebook page expressed disappointment but were cheerful, considering the circumstances.
“Sad news for our neighborhood,” wrote one, “but sounds exciting for you. We’ll have to track you down to get the best coffee in the valley.”
Online: meridianbrighteyes.com.
