DURHAM, N.C. — A locally owned business, that’s been a staple in downtown Durham for more than a decade, is closing this week. The owner of Beyu Caffé made the announcement last week, sharing that June 19 would be their final day open on W. Main Street.

Owner Dorian Bolden says they’re just not seeing the foot traffic they need to survive and credits that to all the nearby construction, expensive parking downtown and a continued shift to working from home. The latest data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce shows 17% of the state’s workforce is taking advantage of working from home.

What You Need To Know

  • After 14 years in business, the owner of Beyu Caffé is closing its location on W. Main Street in downtown Durham
  • Owner Dorian Bolden says nearby construction, expensive parking downtown and a continued shift to working from home are impacting foot traffic
  • The latest data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce shows 17% of the state’s workforce is taking advantage of working from home
  • According to Downtown Durham, Inc., so far in 2024, 22 businesses have opened and 10 businesses have closed in downtown Durham

Bolden opened Beyu Caffé in 2009 and says he started seriously thinking about closing his flagship location around October of last year.

“As you can imagine, a lot of emotions went into making this very difficult decision,” Bolden said. “When people ask how I feel out here, it is this sense of devastation mixed with this sense of being proud.”

Bolden shared the news on social media and the post received hundreds of reactions.

“You never know how the reaction will come, but it's been just an outpouring of love. I am beyond thankful,” Bolden said.

He opened the flagship location 14 years ago and says he’s survived a lot of changes in the economy, city and adjusted to many new normals. But there are certain challenges making it hard to stay afloat.

“People have said, ‘Hey, we don't come to downtown as much because of parking and construction.’ And so we've we felt it for a long time and we had to make a decision,” Bolden said.

Bolden says remote work is also impacting things, adding he’s seen a 40% drop in foot traffic compared to last year and knows he’s not alone.

“I will say, what worries me is even after we announced, the texts and the calls from other restaurateurs and other people in business saying, ‘Hey, we're not too far behind. You know, we're struggling,’” Bolden said.

Moving forward, Bolden hopes changes are made to help locally owned businesses thrive in downtown areas like Durham as they grow and evolve. But right now, he believes this is the best option for Beyu Caffé.

“Sometimes, like I say, you have to close one chapter to start another. And so that's what we're preparing to do now,” Bolden said. “This definitely isn't the end, that's for sure. You know, we've pivoted plenty of times but this one is heartbreaking.”

Bolden believes the price of parking is a big factor in the lack of foot traffic. During weekday hours, Durham parking garages are about $2.25 an hour and street parking is $2.50. That’s about a dollar more per hour compared to parking in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Charlotte.

Bolden hopes city leaders can find a way to offer more affordable and accessible parking so Durham doesn’t lose any more businesses.

According to Downtown Durham, Inc., 17 businesses closed and 21 opened in 2023. Of the 17 that closed, seven moved to a location outside of downtown.

So far in 2024, 22 businesses have opened and 10 businesses have closed. Of those 10, three have moved to a location outside of downtown.

Beyu Caffé’s final day open is Wednesday, June 19. Bolden says it’s significant to have the last day be on Juneteenth because he feels it represents both the struggles and successes of the Black community.

Bolden says he’s also reached out to other restaurants and businesses to see if they’re hiring so that his staff have somewhere else to go.