Longtime First Avenue coffeehouse in trouble

Brewed Awakenings, the First Avenue coffee shop that serves as a second home to many Coe College students, says it could be forced to close unless business improves.

Owner Heather Younker acknowledged Friday that the business is in a fight for survival. Evening hours will be eliminated Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. She said its painful to admit, but she'd rather customers knew upfront that the business needs their support than to have them long-faced if the business closes unexpectedly.

"It's hard to admit that Brewed is going through a hard time," she wrote in a e-mail. "But in the wake of the downtown restaurant blend closing, we didn't want Brewed to be another casualty."

Younker blamed the business' problems on the continued reduction in downtown traffic caused by the June 2008 flood, and by the recession. Brewed Awakenings, 1271 First Ave. SE, was not directly affected by the flood, so Younker said she can understand how much worse business conditions must be for businesses affected directly.

Brewed Awakenings also has a Kiosk at St. Luke's Hospital. Younker said business at the St. Luke's location has held up much better.

Younker set up a Facebook page, "Save Uptown College District & Downtown Businesses," to share the message of struggling businesses.

One other way people can help, Younker said, is to join the 3/50 Project. The nationwide project aims to help independent local businesses. It encourages people to pick three small local businesses each month and spend $50 total."

Information on the project is available at

www.the350project.net