LANSING, Mich. — Good news for Lansing coffee lovers: Strange Matter Coffee Co. is planning some major expansions for the new year.
On Sunday, owner Cara Nader announced via Instagram that the downtown location is not only reopening, but expanding.
The location, which has been closed since March 2020, is combining with the two neighboring vacant spaces that were previously home to a Subway and Fudge & Frosting.
Julie Reinhardt, business outreach and programming manager for Downtown Lansing Inc. said the expanded store will be good for other downtown businesses.
“Obviously, the more businesses that had to close during the pandemic reduced the amount of traffic that all the businesses could partake in," Reinhardt said. "So we're super thrilled that she's going to expand not only in the store she had, but three stores on that block. So she's going to be a huge presence downtown."
Nader said on Instagram they also plan to apply for a tavern license, which will allow the shop to serve beer, wine and hard cider at all stores. They will also be able to stay open until 10 p.m.
“That will help with our nighttime traffic," Reinhardt said. "We'd like to look at her as an anchor for that corner. And the fact that she will be there and she will be thriving will encourage other businesses to fill the other vacancies downtown.”
But that isn't all that's in the works for Strange Matter Coffee.
Nader also announced that the shop is opening a new location in Old Town, on the corner of César Chávez Avenue and Cedar Street in the Temple Building. It will be Strange Matter's third location, in addition to the downtown location and the location on Michigan Avenue.
Construction on the Old Town shop hasn't begun, but Nader said she hopes both the new storefront and the downtown expansion will be complete this summer.
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