Joe Black Coffee & Bar, a well-known café located near Assiniboine Park at 2037 Portage Ave., was briefly listed for sale after a temporary closure due to a provincial health inspection and a significant turnover in staff.
On Tuesday, the café was posted online for $199,900, with the listing highlighting it as an “exceptional business opportunity” and a “turn-key operation” with a “long-standing reputation.” However, after an inquiry by the Free Press, the listing was removed the following day.
Owner Devarshi Shah, who took over the business on November 5, 2024, clarified that Joe Black was not for sale. “I have no idea why Joe Black is on sale,” Shah said. “I’m running it, and I’m going to run it.”
Joe Black reopened on January 17 after a 10-day closure prompted by a health inspection that uncovered evidence of rodents and unsanitary food preparation conditions. The inspection was initiated following a tip from a former employee. Shah confirmed that cleaning and pest control services were hired, and the café was approved to reopen on January 16.
Shah explained that the café’s previous owner, Gina Gerbasi, operated Joe Black for 9 1/2 years before Shah took over. Following the ownership transition in November, more than 10 employees left, citing workplace and management issues, according to former staff.
“I’m trying to understand the business, the inventory, the profit and loss,” Shah said. “I’m only focused on the positive. I’ll focus on my customers and moving forward.”
Regular customer Joanne Keeping, a resident of the St. James area, hopes the café stabilizes. “I sure hope that things stabilize,” she said.
The café’s real estate agent did not respond to requests for comment by the print deadline.
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