Community Efforts Fail to Save Nature’s Best Cafe

When Dawn Fletcher learned of Nature’s Best Cafe’s impending closure last November, she took immediate action to help save the local business. She initiated a GoFundMe campaign that gathered over $5,000. Additionally, she created magnets to promote the cafe and distributed over a thousand letters throughout the neighborhood. Other neighbors joined her efforts. One offered marketing expertise to the cafe, and another conducted a customer survey.

Despite these efforts, it was not enough to counter the rising food costs. Nature’s Best Cafe will cease operations on July 31, as announced on social media. Evonne Cruz, co-owner of the cafe, shared, “We had bingo nights and trivia nights and various events. We’ve been catering but working seven days a week isn’t sustainable, and we’re still in the red.”

The small family-owned establishment began operating a decade ago at a strip mall at 1904 Brookdale Road. Evonne’s husband, Simitrio, who had a long history in the food industry, wanted to open a restaurant serving healthy, gluten-free options. His family’s gluten allergies inspired the menu. As the business grew, it diversified its offerings, featuring items like hand-tossed pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. The cafe’s commitment to using fresh, local ingredients defined its identity, but it also led to increased expenses.

Cruz commented on the escalating costs: “Nothing has gone down in price. Food costs have been exorbitant.” Basic ingredients such as meats and vegetables saw dramatic price hikes, with tomatoes once being exceptionally expensive.

Foot traffic decreased despite community efforts to promote the cafe. Cruz stated, “We expanded our catering business, which has helped cover expenses, but we need steady customer flow.” Analytics revealed a declining trend in customer visits year after year. Cruz speculated that economic challenges contributed to this decline. Although evening events and growing social media presence were attempted, the numbers continued to fall.

Closing the cafe is challenging, yet Cruz remains hopeful. She reflected, “It’s sad because our children worked at the cafe and grew up in the neighborhood. We watched them receive driver’s licenses, take first jobs, and go to college. Simitrio has worked tirelessly, investing long hours and weeks to give his best. Moving on is a challenge for him.”

Saying goodbye is hard for Fletcher too. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped the cafe survive as Simitrio worked an additional night job. Fletcher described Simitrio as her daughter’s first boss, stating, “Simitrio feels like family. Every young person deserves a patient and considerate boss for their workplace introduction.” Fletcher plans to keep the GoFundMe account active to assist Simitrio during his transition.