Coffee Bar, the Mission’s Original Co-working Cafe, Is Closed

Coffee Bar, a large cafe in a converted Mission District warehouse that’s typically buzzing with laptop workers slugging horchata lattes, is suddenly quiet. The gates to the large, industrial space at 1890 Bryant Street are locked, at least temporarily — but likely for good.

Coffee Bar had been caffeinating the Mission for more than a decade with drinks from Oakland’s seminal coffee roaster Mr. Espresso. But the business was known as much for its blazing fast wifi and copious power outlets as its oak-roasted espresso beans.

Looking back, “I’d call it the first co-working space in San Francisco,” says original owner Robert Stang. He too was surprised by the Mission location’s closure: After expanding his business to two downtown locations, Stang sold the original Coffee Bar to new owners last year. They remain anonymous according to the terms of their deal.

Coffee Bar’s downtown locations remain open. “They’re doing great” Stang says. But those two outposts, at 101 Montgomery and 433 Kearny Street, are more grab-and-go operations, without lounge seating and long food menus. To replace Coffee Bar, it might take a subscription to WeWork — or at least bag of Mr. Espresso beans and a home broadband connection.