Downtown Vancouver coffee shop closing, ‘fed up’ with rising crime

The JJ Bean at Vancouver’s historic Woodward’s Building closed for good on Monday, citing an increase in crime impacting the coffee shop.

John Neate, CEO and founder of JJ Bean Coffee Roasters, said he’s “fed up with the neighbourhood” and has reached a deal with his landlord to end the location’s lease early, at a price.

“We don’t want to be here. It’s just not any fun,” he told Global News on Monday. “Certainly there are some good, paying customers, but not enough to make it worthwhile.

Neate said the coffee shop has been dealing with at least one broken window a month, theft and harassment of staff by people who don’t want to buy anything — just use the washrooms. He’s wanted out of the lease since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

“They’ll throw needles in the garbage, they’ll totally trash the bathrooms, they’ll throw up, they’ll have an episode in there.”

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The shop is on West Cordova Street in Gastown.

Neate said his frustrations extend beyond that neighbourhood, however, with more than 100 windows smashed across all his Vancouver locations since 1996. It costs around $1,000 for each window replacement, and up to $1,500 to replace a doorway pane.

That’s in addition to losses from stolen coffee or other items, and the costs of other security measures — such as the recently-installed bars on windows at the JJ Bean on Commercial Drive.

“There’s never been a case of someone being caught,” Neate said. “These people seem to keep coming back. Nobody seems to go to jail for anything because it’s considered a minor crime.”

At times, staff have been fearful to come to work, especially during early morning baking hours when they’re alone at the shop, he added.

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Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC Vancouver party campaigned on a promise to hire 100 or more new police officers and mental health nurses for the city, citing a rise in crime. Council has said hiring is underway and it hopes to get some boots on the ground this fall.

“We hear loud and clear that people don’t feel safe in some neighbourhoods in Vancouver,” said ABC Coun. Peter Meiszner in a Monday interview.

“We are working and meeting regularly with BIAs to address some of the concerns that business owners are facing, and also liaising with Vancouver police to direct resources to areas where there are issues.”

Safety is a top priority for the council, he added, but emphasized that the complex social issues intertwined with crime are “not going to be a quick fix.”

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Meanwhile, regulars of the JJ Bean at Woodward’s lamented its closure at noon on Monday.

Samantha Diamond, a patron for the last 10 years, said it’s a shame to lose an affordable option in the neighbourhood. She has, however, noticed an increase in local crime, she added.

“It’s my go-to place. I feel like it’s going to be really sad for the neighbourhood and the community as a whole to have a central hub like this closing,” Diamond told Global News.

“It’s such a loss and not to be overly dramatic, but I feel a bit abandoned. Who knows what’s to come in this space?”

Colleague Elspeth Pratt said many of the nearby restaurants have abandoned the neighbourhood as well. JJ Bean has long employed some of their students at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts, the associate professor added.

“It’s been wonderful going in there and seeing a friendly face behind the counter that we recognize, and it’s also convenient for them to be able to pick up shifts just out the front door,” Pratt said.

“It’s a real loss for the School of Contemporary Arts.”

A notice posted at the coffee shop on Monday thanked customers for their patronage over the years and encouraged them to visit other downtown JJ Bean locations.

Editor’s Note: This is a corrected story. A previous version stated that the JJ Bean was located in the Downtown Eastside rather than in Gastown.