ABiz -> Acadiana Business TUE, MAY 4 5:12PM by Leslie Turk

CC’s Coffee House closes Kaliste Saloom store

After more than a decade, CC’s Coffee House has shuttered its Kaliste Saloom Road location in the Centre Park shopping center, which is anchored by Marcello’s Wine Market Café.

“The lease isn’t up till June 1, but they went ahead and gave me notice they were closing [Friday],” says Tex Plumley, who owns the center. “They probably called me last Wednesday or Thursday,” says Plumley. While the abrupt departure did surprise him, Plumley acknowledges that he’d been in talks with the coffee house chain because he’d know for some time CC’s preference is locations with a drive-thru, which his site does not offer. “They said that Starbucks was killing them, right there between Cane’s and the bank, on Pinhook and Kaliste,” Plumley notes.

Rachel Hull, a spokeswoman for CC’s, wouldn’t comment on competition from Starbucks down the street but did acknowledge that the Centre Park model is outdated for today’s lifestyle. “I think our customers are looking for convenience,” she says.

Celton Hayden, CC’s general manager of retail operations, says the company does not have definitive plans for a new location in the general area of the Kaliste Saloom store but isn’t ruling out the possibility. The Kaliste Saloom location’s nine employees were all offered jobs at one of CC’s seven Lafayette coffee shops, according to Hayden.

Still, the spot seemed to be a good location for a coffee house, Plumley maintains. “I was surprised because they seemed to have a big crowd. It’s kind of strange to go by there now and see an empty parking lot at a quarter to eight in the morning. It used to be full.” Plumley says because of the short notice he hasn’t had time to market the 2,000 square feet of space. And while it’s considered a prime location, he’s not expecting anyone to be beating his door down. “I think this oil spill is driving people nuts,” he says. Plumley anticipates that the anxiety over what the spill will mean for the future of the oil industry may have some potential tenants in a wait-and-see posture.

In early 2009, CC’s Coffee House closed its location at 3810 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, next to Imelda’s. That store, which had been open for 11 years, also did not have a drive-thru. CC’s last three stores in Lafayette all offer that added convenience — Johnston Street near Albertsons, Camellia Boulevard in River Ranch and Congress at Ambassador Caffery Parkway.

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written by Match U Peach U , May 05, 2010 - 04:39 pm

No surprise; too many coffee places. It would be nice to see some coffee houses with live low key entertainment.

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written by Unempirical Observer , May 06, 2010 - 08:14 am

If you notice, the Starbuckses tend to be quite savvy about locating their joints on the right-side of the road with respect to the morning time traffic flow. That works wonders on any morning dominant drive-through business...right in, right out. CC's locations don't seem to at least, have the same concrete right-side phenomena on their side.
But truly, the "new" CC locations don't have the vibe the old 3 used to maintain. It's just somethin wrong in the interior design. Too bad, cuz their coffee is much smoother on the palate.

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written by John b , May 11, 2010 - 01:39 pm

Someone open a coffee house in Opelousas with a drive thru., Starbucks, I'd prefer CC's, or anyone??????

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written by megan , May 14, 2010 - 02:31 am

I agree with the above poster - the new locations don't have the same vibe. They seemed to be designed to get you out quickly. (Less seating, brighter lighting, smaller interiors, very little parking. Oh, wait - that's just like Starbucks...hmmm...). It's sad, really. They just want drive through money. I went to a Starbucks today because both River Ranch locations were entirely too crowded. I hope they do rebuild.

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