People Are Mourning The Closure Of This Legendary Hollywood Coffeehouse
It might not have been around for as long as other LA institutions like Cole's Originators of the French Dip (established 1908) or The Dresden (established 1954), but Hollywood's 101 Coffee Shop was pretty iconic in its own right, too. But like so many restaurants across the country, the coronavirus pandemic made it a challenge to keep the iconic, 20-year-old coffee shop going and as a result, the shop which, like The Dresden, has appeared in the film Swingers has had to bid farewell to its loyal clients, which included Hollywood luminaries like Patton Oswalt.
Like many restaurants which have tried to weather the pandemic, 101 Coffee Shop tried to pivot to doing just takeout orders, but found it wasn't viable. As he confirmed the closure, the shop's co-owner Warner Ebbink said the decision was a tough one, but that, as he put it, "we believe there is a silver lining. It allows us to shift focus to Little Dom's, which has become an institution in and of itself over the past 13 years," (via Eater).
101 Coffee Shop had a special place in the hearts of Hollywood stars
The 101 Coffee Shop had a fan following for its brownie waffle sundaes and milkshakes, as well as the mood offered by its jukebox. The fact that it also drew celebs like Patton Oswalt (who tweeted: "Aw man, the 101 Coffee Shop was one of Alice's favorite hangs" along with photos of his little girl), and Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, who Variety says wrote Swingers at the iconic coffee shop. The cafe also got social media shoutouts from the likes of Elijah Wood, Rosanna Arquette, and Kat Dennings. It even had a part to play in the making of the TV hit show Everybody Loves Raymond, because the pilot was written there.
While celebs and fans seem to be the most saddened, don't think the closure didn't faze owner Warner Ebblink. He called the shut down one "[that] defines the end of an era. We'll always be grateful for the shared moments and what the restaurant brought to the LA food and beverage community."