PARK HILLS, KY − Inside Reality Tuesday Cafe on Thursday, owner Traci Gregg carefully boxed up coffee machines, cleared out worn furniture and sifted through more than 25 years of memories.
She was preparing to close for good the doors to the coffee shop that had become a neighborhood staple.
Outside, a hand-printed sign read: “EVICTED − OUT OF BUSINESS,” underscoring the painful reality.
“We’re shutting it down. He (landlord) would just keep charging me rent. I can’t keep up,” Gregg told The Enquirer, noting overdue rent and soaring operating expenses proved insurmountable.
Competition and rising costs take toll
Gregg, who has operated the cafe at 1518 Dixie Highway since 2000, said she fell roughly $13,000 behind on rent and was given until April 30 by her landlord to catch up or face eviction.
The Enquirer reached out to the landlord’s attorney for comment, but the call wasn’t immediately returned.
Gregg said she saw Reality Tuesday’s demise coming after a Dunkin’ opened less than a mile away in Fort Wright in May 2024, siphoning customers and adding new pressure on her business.
Fundraising falls short of saving shop
For loyal customers, Reality Tuesday’s demise marks the end and an era for a neighborhood institution that had weathered decades of change, only to be sunk by mounting financial strain and intensifying competition.
“I’m so sad to hear this! Just stopped by last week for an iced coffee,’’ read one of hundreds of posts on the coffee shop’s Facebook page.
Though a GoFundMe campaign launched earlier this month raised more than $8,500 to help cover back rent and expenses, it wasn’t enough to save the popular community gathering spot.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘Evicted.’ After 26 years, Reality Tuesday coffee shop closes
Reporting by Randy Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
