Jenny Allen, right, the owner of A Coffeehouse, has announced the eatery at 252 Main St. in Waterville will close at the end of the month. Allen is shown in 2024 with Evan Fisher, the chef and kitchen manager, in the coffeehouse’s dining area. Allen says the space will be available to host special group events. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel file

WATERVILLE — Nearly a year after opening on Main Street in Waterville, A Coffeehouse is set to close at the end of the month, but will be open for special group events, owner Jenny Allen said.

“The goal for year one was to open a kick-a** coffeehouse and get sustainable by the end of year one,” Allen said Monday.

But, she said, when looking at the numbers, they do not allow A Coffeehouse to remain open for regular hours.

“Our business model is not economically sustainable,” she said.

A Coffeehouse opened last May at 252 Main St. as a warm, comfortable place for people to gather and enjoy fresh vegan-vegetarian food, St-Viateur bagels from Montreal, Equal Exchange Fair Trade coffees, teas and spirit-free drinks.

Patrons were welcome to play instruments, sing and discuss the issues of the day. Local and international art also was featured for purchase.

While the eatery is scheduled to close March 31, it shall continue to operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Monday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays for the rest of the month, according to Allen. She said the space is also available for special group events.

“If people want to contact us with group events, we’d be more than happy to try to accommodate them,” she said.

Those interested can call Allen at 207-877-1208, she said.

Allen and her husband, Craig, bought the building in 2021-22, and added a commercial kitchen and dining area. They plan to keep the building, maintain the headquarters for their software consulting business, NOVEM Inc., on upper floors and do some renovations there. The building was home to The Record Connection for several years.

Allen said while she is sad to be closing A Coffeehouse, she feels the business succeeded in offering a healthful environment where people made connections and shared in conversation.

“It’s a magical-like place,” she said. “It’s a great space and, in the end, it’s a business, and a business has to be economically sustainable. My heart really goes out to all the small businesses in the city. It’s tough.”