"Heartbreaking": Fans say goodbye before Joe's Cafe closure

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

The line for cappuccinos at Joe’s Cafe Bar in East Vancouver was busy but sombre during a recent weekday evening.

Guests were eagerly awaiting their coffee orders, knowing that it may be the last time they would be able to enjoy a cup at the Commercial Drive spot.

Joe’s Cafe is officially closing on Saturday, October 26, marking the end of the iconic shop experience after nearly 50 years in operation.

Staff and patrons alike are sad to see it go but are also grateful for the memories made throughout the decades.

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

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“People from all walks of life would come in, talk to each other, and hang out for hours sometimes,” Eddie Fernandes told Daily Hive in an interview. “And you really saw this back in its heydays of the ’80s and into the ’90s.

“Back then he had pool tables going, the jukebox blasting, and tables full of people drinking lattes and cappuccinos. I used to serve lattes to the band 54-40 daily. I also served Colin James, Sarah McLachlan, and many more. It was a magical time.”

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

The nephew of owner Joe Antunes shared that the cafe opened in 1976. Since then, it had a loyal roster of regulars looking for a sandwich and a coffee or just a spot for an afternoon of people-watching.

“Joe is the sole owner, and he gave it the atmosphere and feeling of an old-time Portuguese coffee bar,” Fernandes explained. “He never married and never had kids. His siblings and nephews have helped him out over the years.

“Joe’s Cafe has always been down-to-earth, family-friendly (at least during daylight hours), nonjudgmental, inviting and warm. But it has always been more of a community space. I always call it an unofficial community centre.”

The cafe has not been without controversy during its nearly five-decade run. In 1990, Joe’s Cafe was picketed by lesbian protestors and supporters for weeks after Antunes ejected two women for kissing in the coffee shop.

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Fernandes explained that the cafe is closing due to “sudden retirement forced by nature.”

“In the last few years, he expressed that he wanted to be buried in Portugal. This spring, just before a planned vacation to Portugal with family, he suddenly expressed his desire to retire there. Eventually, he decided to stay there,” Fernandes said of his uncle.

“In the past, we pushed him to expand and renovate the business, but he always declined. He loved doing things his way and keeping it the same as it’s always been. The family no longer has a desire to continue Joe’s Cafe Bar or upgrade to something better; it has declined over the years and is now worthless. So we decided to shut it down.”

Local resident and long-time patron Kindra Tichenor is one of the many visiting the cafe during its final days before closure.

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” Tichenor told Daily Hive. “I have been coming to Joe’s my whole life. I was born in a house on William Street, so it was a big place to come with my family and grab a cappuccino.

“My brother and I would come here often and just drink coffee and play pool. He sadly passed away last year, so it’s also sad to see those memories kind of leave with it closing. But it’s in my brain and my heart forever.”

Casey McPherson also made one last trip to the coffee shop to pay respects and have one more cup.

“When I first visited East Van seven years ago, it was the first establishment I was brought to. So I wanted to see it off before it closed,” McPherson said. “It’s bittersweet because hopefully, the owners are moving on to greener pastures. But it’s disappointing because I know it was a long-time establishment in the neighbourhood.

“Thank you for making a warm and inviting space for us to come and visit and making beautiful, iconic cappuccinos.”

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

Fernandes encourages everyone to visit the cafe before it closes on Saturday, October 26, and to attend the afterparty from 8 to 11 pm.

“Cherish the memories. Joe is a very special guy with a big heart. He was what the cafe was all about.

“The next time you’re at a café sipping a drink, think of Joe and Joe’s Cafe. Your mind will be returned there, and you will get a beautiful feeling inside because your heart never left.”