By Ken Storey
Barnie's Coffee, that had at one point the nation's largest chain of retail coffee outlets, is about to close one of its last remaining corporate locations.
In 2011 the chain opened its new concept, Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, on Park Ave in Winter Park. That location,the first for the chain, is well over 30 years old. Founded by Winter Park resident Phil Jones in 1980 the chain has gone through many owners over the past 15 years. Jones sold the company to Sare Lee Corp in 1998 who turned around and sold it to a private group three years later in 2001. That group sold off 50 retail locations to rival Starbucks in 2006. In 2008, Phil Jones got back in the picture when he and local developer Jim Pugh purchased Barnie's away from the private group. Jones was soon on his way out, replaced by current CEA Johnathan Smiga. Pugh remains on the board. The CoffeeKitchen concept was announced in August 2011 for the Baldwin Park and Sandlake Road locations as well.
The chain has shifted its focus from physical stores to packaged products sold through Publix and other grocery retailers. In an interview with Orlando Business Journal in February 2013 Smiga stated that the company's newest location, City Arts Factory, would open in about 90 days. That was first announced with an opening of fall 2011 and has since been continuously pushed back. It has yet to open.
Smiga also stated in that interview that the company was still evaluating what to do with the Baldwin Park location. (The company has recently, within the past year, shifted its headquarters from a warehouse near Florida Mall to an office building within Baldwin Park.) Smiga noted the other Barnie's Coffee & Tea locations would be shuttered due to the locations restrictions on size, location, and walk-up capability.
It was announced in mid-June that the Baldwin Park retail location will now be closed.
After asking for a statement on the closure of the Baldwin Park location Sonya Hardy, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, sent over this prepared statement on the closure of not only Baldwin but of 3 of the less than 22 remaining locations of the Orlando-based company.
The media statement from Barnie's features the headline 'Restructuring Initiatives' and reads:
"Starting in April 2013 Barnie's CoffeeKitchen began the process of closing down its remaining retail locations that were branded "Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company". These locations included the Barnie's Coffee & Tea on Turkey Lake & Sandlake Road in Orlando and the Barnie's Coffee & Tea kiosk located in the Macy's storefront at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta Georgia.
Effective July 28th we will be closing the Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company location in Baldwin Park.
These closings are concurrent with our strategic growth plans for Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, which include expansion of the CoffeeKitchen concept and continued presence for our packaged coffee products in grocery, office, restaurant, hospitality and mass retailers.
The Barnie's Coffee & Tea in Altamonte Mall, Altamonte Springs will remain open at this time. The Barnie's CoffeeKitchen Park Avenue in Winter Park is open and will continue to sell all Barnie's packaged coffee products, micro-roast coffees and specialty beverages. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the CoffeeKitchen location and we recently introduced specialty beers and wine. We will be opening a new Barnie's CoffeeKitchen location in late July at the City Arts Factory in Downtown Orlando.
Customers can continue to enjoy and purchase Barnie's packaged coffees as well as find the nearest grocery or retail outlet carrying the products on our website www.barniescoffee.com"
The website now features a single search section with no distinction between retail outlet selling Barnie's branded products and their stand alone locations. The site also makes little mention of the coffee shops themselves with only one tab for them and no pictures on the homepage from the stand alone locations.
No word on if the location of the Baldwin Park store has to do with the lack of decent television viewing options.
We have reached out Barnie's for further comment. We'll let you know what we find out.
In 2011 the chain opened its new concept, Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, on Park Ave in Winter Park. That location,the first for the chain, is well over 30 years old. Founded by Winter Park resident Phil Jones in 1980 the chain has gone through many owners over the past 15 years. Jones sold the company to Sare Lee Corp in 1998 who turned around and sold it to a private group three years later in 2001. That group sold off 50 retail locations to rival Starbucks in 2006. In 2008, Phil Jones got back in the picture when he and local developer Jim Pugh purchased Barnie's away from the private group. Jones was soon on his way out, replaced by current CEA Johnathan Smiga. Pugh remains on the board. The CoffeeKitchen concept was announced in August 2011 for the Baldwin Park and Sandlake Road locations as well.
The chain has shifted its focus from physical stores to packaged products sold through Publix and other grocery retailers. In an interview with Orlando Business Journal in February 2013 Smiga stated that the company's newest location, City Arts Factory, would open in about 90 days. That was first announced with an opening of fall 2011 and has since been continuously pushed back. It has yet to open.
Smiga also stated in that interview that the company was still evaluating what to do with the Baldwin Park location. (The company has recently, within the past year, shifted its headquarters from a warehouse near Florida Mall to an office building within Baldwin Park.) Smiga noted the other Barnie's Coffee & Tea locations would be shuttered due to the locations restrictions on size, location, and walk-up capability.
It was announced in mid-June that the Baldwin Park retail location will now be closed.
After asking for a statement on the closure of the Baldwin Park location Sonya Hardy, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, sent over this prepared statement on the closure of not only Baldwin but of 3 of the less than 22 remaining locations of the Orlando-based company.
The media statement from Barnie's features the headline 'Restructuring Initiatives' and reads:
"Starting in April 2013 Barnie's CoffeeKitchen began the process of closing down its remaining retail locations that were branded "Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company". These locations included the Barnie's Coffee & Tea on Turkey Lake & Sandlake Road in Orlando and the Barnie's Coffee & Tea kiosk located in the Macy's storefront at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta Georgia.
Effective July 28th we will be closing the Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company location in Baldwin Park.
These closings are concurrent with our strategic growth plans for Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, which include expansion of the CoffeeKitchen concept and continued presence for our packaged coffee products in grocery, office, restaurant, hospitality and mass retailers.
The Barnie's Coffee & Tea in Altamonte Mall, Altamonte Springs will remain open at this time. The Barnie's CoffeeKitchen Park Avenue in Winter Park is open and will continue to sell all Barnie's packaged coffee products, micro-roast coffees and specialty beverages. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the CoffeeKitchen location and we recently introduced specialty beers and wine. We will be opening a new Barnie's CoffeeKitchen location in late July at the City Arts Factory in Downtown Orlando.
Customers can continue to enjoy and purchase Barnie's packaged coffees as well as find the nearest grocery or retail outlet carrying the products on our website www.barniescoffee.com"
The website now features a single search section with no distinction between retail outlet selling Barnie's branded products and their stand alone locations. The site also makes little mention of the coffee shops themselves with only one tab for them and no pictures on the homepage from the stand alone locations.
No word on if the location of the Baldwin Park store has to do with the lack of decent television viewing options.
We have reached out Barnie's for further comment. We'll let you know what we find out.
 |
| Here is the full statement from Barnie's. |
 |
| Here is the retail section of Park Ave's CoffeeKitchen |