Graham Central Closes Coffee House in Cranberry

After more than a year and a half in business, Graham Central Coffee House & Café has shut its doors in Cranberry.

“There just weren’t enough customers, that’s what it boils down to,” said Bill Weaver, one of the café’s owners.

Weaver, who owns the BelleVue Commons complex where Graham Central was located, said the café’s last day was last Sunday, May 5.

He added he was there Monday as some regulars stopped by their favorite haunt, only to learn it was closed.

“It was sad, but business is business,” he said.

Located next to Graham Park, Graham Central opened in November 2011 in the BelleVue Park neighborhood off Rochester Road. Weaver also is owner of Weaver Master Builders, the developers behind the neighborhood.

Weaver said the original intent was to offer customers high-end coffee and just a few food items. The menu soon expanded into a fuller selection, including breakfast.

Weaver said he believes it was too hard for the spacious Graham Central, which took up more than 2,000 square feet, to compete with the many other eateries concentrated along Route 19 and Route 228 in Cranberry.

“Maybe we were too far off the beaten path,” he said.

Weaver, who opened the café with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, said the family had hoped for in uptick in business once the warmer months took hold because of the activities and games at Graham Park. When that failed to happen, the café began to offer specials to entice customers, including serving all day breakfast.

“We pulled out all the stops, but none of them seemed to work,” Weaver said. “We got a lot of locals, a lot of people from BelleVue Park, but at the end of the day, you have to have a customer base that turns over.”

Weaver said the other businesses at BelleVue Commons, including Snap Fitness, Pro Martial Arts and Graham Park Massage continue to do well in the location.

Snap Fitness recently expanded, he said. The developers also just signed an agreement with an orthodontist to lease one of the spaces.

“The other businesses are doing fine,” Weaver said.

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