<< Front page News March 12, 2004

Oberlin Music will close

Oberlin Music, a favorite haunt of Oberlin students, has announced that it will be closing during spring break.

The news is another blow to the already fragile state of Oberlin commercial development which appeared to be on the recovery with the planned opening of several new restaurants.

“News of the closing came as a big surprise,” junior Alexis Milinusic, an Oberlin Music regular, said. “The business seems to be doing so well. The place is always so full and it’s surprising that other less popular businesses manage to stay open, yet the most popular spot in town closes.”

Owner Jim Dawson, OC ‘86, says that business has been getting better each year since the café’s opening in February 2002. Despite this continual growth, the amount of business is still insufficient to cover costs.

The café’s third floor location has been both a blessing and a curse. “It’s like coming into a separate world, and I think people really enjoyed that,” Dawson said.

In fact, during its first year the popular study nook was known on campus as the “secret café.” On the other hand, Dawson admitted that if his business was on the first floor, it probably would attract more customers.

Rumors circulated around campus that repeated incidents of theft had precipitated the coffee shop’s closing.

However, while Dawson acknowledges that theft was an occasional problem and certainly had an impact, the thefts were not the primary problem.

“I never had a policy of checking bags at the door,” he said. “I’m an Oberlin alum myself. I like to think that when people are shown trust, they’ll rise to the occasion.”

While the future of the third floor office space is still uncertain, several parties have expressed interest in opening a new café.

Meanwhile, Burgermeister, a new restaurant under the same management as the Java Zone, is scheduled to open next week.

Burgermeister will be located in the same building as The Mandarin and its menu will include organic burgers and Italian food, as well as both traditional and Mediterranean breakfast dishes. Sammy Ahwal, the manager of the Java Zone, is hopeful that the business will be popular among students, adding that “the most expensive item on the menu does not even exceed ten dollars.” Breakfast will be priced between $3.50 and $5, and lunch between $5 and $7.

At Java Zone, his primary business, Ahwal remains optimistic about the future.

“Due to the economy being so bad around the country we’re down a little bit. But all in all we’re still doing well,” he said.

Working in a seasonal college economy can be a challenge, but Ahwal said the Java Zone does good business all year round. When school is in session the majority of its patrons are students and faculty, while during the summer a larger number of townspeople come, especially, Ahwal said, for lunches, which are typically much busier in the summer months.

David Gibson, former owner of Gibson’s general store. who is now retired but still very much involved in the business, run by his son, said business is similar to that of past years. As for the future, he believes better lighting on the streets would benefit local businesses. Though he knows the College and the town have good intentions, he says the newly planted trees and lack of neon lights, though aesthetically pleasing, hurt local businesses.

“It really looks dark and dismal after dark. You say, hey, I don’t even want to drive through here,” he said.


 
 
   

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