Two relatively new Oxford businesses are the latest victims of Michigan’s economic troubles.
Carla’s Fresh Fruit Market (1200 S. Lapeer Rd.) and CC’s Cyber Cafe (3 S. Washington St.) are preparing to close their doors.
‘The economy is not good,? said Mimmo D’Anna, co-owner of Carla’s, which just opened in May. ‘People are suffering. Consequently, everything else is too.?
Last week, a sign went up at Carla’s market announcing the store’s closing.
‘Unfortunately, we had to make that decision,? he said.
D’Anna indicated the gourmet market will stay open until most of the inventory’s been sold. ‘We’ll play it day-by-day,? he said.
Just up the road in downtown Oxford, CC’s Cyber Cafe, which offers patrons various computer games, internet access, beverages and snacks, is calling it quits the weekend of January 3-4.
‘That will be the last blast,? said Brian Lawlor, who opened the cafe in June 2007. ‘We wanted to stay in Oxford. We didn’t want to leave, but the situation with the economy is what’s put us in this spot. We’ve seen a decline over time.?
Last December, CC’s Cyber Cafe was named New Business of the Year by the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce. It also won the DDA Scarecrow Festival’s commercial contest two consecutive years.
According to Lawlor, business is down 40 percent since October.
Usually, when school starts, the cafe sees a ‘rebound? in sales toward the middle to end of October, but ‘that never materialized.?
‘It’s been slow from that point forward,? he said. ‘Pretty much these last few months have hurt us bad.?
Lawlor is trying to find another location to reopen CC’s Cyber Cafe.
‘We’re hoping to be able to open somewhere else, but we’re not sure where at this point,? he said. ‘Wherever we can find a place that’s got reasonable pricing (for rent) we’ll go.?
Despite the fact they’re leaving Oxford, both business owners are grateful for the community support they received while here.
D’Anna wished to thank ‘all our loyal customers? for their business and Oxford for the ‘hospitality.?
‘Maybe in the future, somehow, somewhere, when they’re ready for a store like this, we’ll probably try again,? he said.
It’s communities like Oxford that make family businesses like his possible, according to Lawlor. ‘It’s the community that kept us going,? he said. ‘We want to thank everybody that supported us.?