R&R Coffee Shop and Café in Black Forest forced to shut down

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - On Sunday, Sept. 3, R & R Coffee Shop will close its doors for the last time after they say they weren't able to renegotiate terms for their new lease. For many, this coffee shop was not just a place where people could get a good latte, it was a place to bring the community together.

R&R's support was especially important for nearby residents during the destructive Black Forest Fire. It stayed open as a place for people to find refuge when they had been evacuated.

"It was a place that you could just come to tell your stories, your fears, what you were going to do after the fire and those horrible moments when you didn't know if your residence was going to be standing," patron Bob North said.

He's not the only one who feels that way.

"Brian was just always there for us and made sure that we had a place to go during the fire," patron Carol McIntyre said. "It leaves a hole in our community and we will miss it."

Now, ten years later, regulars are getting their last mugs of coffee and soaking up the time they have left in the shop. Owner Ryan Wanner said he's not giving up hope for the shop even if it means moving to a different location.

He said that he's hopeful about finding a new place to run his business, but it might not be in Black Forest. For now, he's roasting coffee beans to sell at local farmers markets and retailers in hopes of keeping his brand alive.

"It's been hard for them. It's been hard on me," Wanner said. "And I'm just not sure how the community is taking it right now. But I know there's a lot of people that are not happy."

For updates on R & R Coffee Shop and Café, the link to their Facebook page is here.