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April 2, 2020

Blue State Coffee temporarily grounded

Photo | Michael C. Bingham A Blue State coffee café at 84 Wall St. in New Haven. The chain also has a location in downtown Hartford.
By Michael C. Bingham

Blue State Coffee, a popular hangout in downtown Hartford, has decided to close its cafés — at least for now.

The company’s CEO, Carolyn Greenspan, announced that, “It was the best decision after listening to guidance from the governors in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts,” all states in which Blue State operates cafés.

The company traces its roots to 2004 in Providence, R.I., when Greenspan decided to open a community-oriented coffee shop. “The premise was simple,” the Blue State website proclaimed: “Our ideals would guide how the company did business.”

The family pledged to donate 2% of sales to local non-profit organizations. As of Aug. 2019 the company said it had donated some $950,000 to date from all nine locations.

In New Haven, Blue State operated cafés at 84 Wall St., 276 York St., 534 Orange St. and 320 Congress Ave.

It also operated two stores in Providence, R.I., two in Boston and one in Hartford at 777 Main St.

On Friday morning, Kelsey Cote, Blue State's director of communications and partnerships, said that "Blue State Coffee is not closing our business. We have temporarily shut down our cafés during the coronavirus crisis and plan to reopen once the crisis passes."

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