UPDATE: Cafe Mia, which closed without warning last Thursday (we first reported on it Saturday 4/25), is planning on remodeling and re-opening as a “family bar and grill” sometime in early to mid-summer, according to co-owner Todd McKittrick.
We spoke with Mr. McKittrick Monday morning (4/27), and he told us that the cafe, as it was, simply wasn’t making enough money. Despite a strong lunchtime crowd, business wasn’t consistent enough, so they decided to close it down.
McKittrick says that a new restaurant will soon open in the same location after a remodel that changes the current cafe to include:
- More comfortable atmosphere with table service
- Lower ceilings to make it quieter
- Replacing the round tables with more traditional square ones
- Enlarge the outdoor seating area
- Re-design it as a “family bar and grill”
A few Commenters on our sister site The B-Town Blog mentioned that they thought the location in the new Normandy Park Towne Center was a problem; one calling it a “dead zone” and another a “black hole,” with one even suggesting that the only business that would thrive would be “a strip bar.”
McKittrick disagrees, saying that it wasn’t the location.
“All three owners are Normandy Park residents,” McKittrick said. “We’re all local, and we all believe that a local restaurant can work at this location. We’re just listening to our customers and making changes based on their feedback. We’ll re-open soon with the same great food, but with a different menu.”
McKittrick said that the remodeled restaurant will have a new name, but that they hadn’t yet decided on what that will be.
Despite the changes, the Cafe Mia website remains unchanged, with no mention of any closure or changes, as does their Facebook page.
Normandy Park resident Helga Herrera reads the notice taped to the front window of Cafe Mia, explaining its sudden closure.
Photos and Story by Scott Schaefer
Cafe Mia, located in the Normandy Park Towne Center on First Avenue South, closed suddenly last Thursday (4/21) with no warning.
Saturday afternoon (4/25) the doors were locked, paper covered all windows, no employees were present, and the only information available was a letter taped to a window near the front door, which read:
April 24, 2009
Dear Loyal Cafe Mia Customers,
We opened as a Cafe and unfortunately realized that this is not what the residents of the City of Normandy park need and want. In an effort to respond better to these needs we are closing effective immediately and are working to rebrand our concept. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope that you will soon see that our new, more comfortable, family friendly concept will be even better. We will continue to provide great food an hope to add a bar into the new concept.
As residents of this community, our community is very important to us. We are excited to be part of it look forward to bringing you the restaurant that Normandy Park residents need and want. If you have any questions please email us at cafemianp@yahoo.com.
Thanks for your continued support and patience. Please check back for updates.
The Owners of Cafe Mia
We sent an email to the address listed in the notice, but as of 3pm Saturday had not yet heard back; the Cafe Mia website doesn’t mention the closing. We also called the restaurant’s phone number, but after about a dozen rings it went to voicemail.
“I was a regular customer,” said Helga Herrera, a Normandy Park resident and owner of Normandy Nutrition who we found reading the explanatory letter (see photo above). “I loved coming here because they were open late and I could eat here after I closed my store. Plus, they had great coffee.”
While it was opened, Cafe Mia offered fresh baked breads, pizzas, pasta, pastries, paninis and sandwiches, gelato, salads, and even beer and wine.
The recently-opened Normandy Park Towne Center appears to have many empty storefronts and condos, and there were plenty of empty parking spots and little foot traffic when we dropped in on Saturday. The development, which opened in December, is managed by the McKittrick Real Estate Group.
According to the Towne Center website:
“This 3.58 acre mixed use project consisting of retail, office and residential components on 1st Avenue in Normandy Park promises to be a welcome addition to the neighborhood!
With Emerald City Smoothie, Café Mia, Herfy’s and Tight Cuts as our first tenants, we are also proud to offer 26 luxury townhomes for sale and 18 condo flats for rent.”
We’ll keep you updated as soon as we learn what the future holds for this business.
