Little Woodfords coffee shop has announced that it will be closing at the end of this month, January 2023.
A community-focused coffee shop, specifically a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, Little Woodfords was featured in Vogue, Food & Wine, Eater Boston and more as one of the must-visit coffee shops in Maine and across the nation.
Locally owned and operated by Andrew and TJ Zarro, Little Woodfords originally resided at 643 Forest Ave opening back in 2017. The shop made its move to its current location at 316A Congress Street back in 2020, opening officially in July.
In a statement made via social media:
“Have you ever tried to write a difficult letter to a friend and you just didn’t know where to start? That’s what writing this has felt like.
To our beloved community, it is with a heavy but full heart we share that this will be the last month we are open. The time has come for us to move on to the next chapter of our lives, filled with 5 and a half years worth of memories, friendships, high highs and low lows.
We could continue on as-is, but deep down we know it is time to say farewell to little woodfords as it currently exists. So much has changed in the hospitality industry over the past few years, and it has become something so different from what we set out to do.
Thank you to everyone who has been a member of our team over the years. You have brought so much joy into our shop and into this community. You are loved deeply and the admiration I have for you is impossible to describe. Thank you all for leaving us better than you found us.
To our patrons, you are truly the best. We have shared in so many profound moments together — celebrating births, mourning deaths, laughing until it hurts, and sharing space for tears. People come into our lives for a reason, bringing with them something that helps us grow. You are perfect and you have made every moment of this adventure worthwhile.
Thank you for sharing the best part of your day with us. Because we knew you, we have been reminded time and again that people are good and believe in a better world for everyone.
Lastly, thank you to the LGBTQ+ community for sharing our space. Queer spaces are so vital to the resiliency and well being of our community, and it has been a true honor to hold space together. Celebrating you and honoring your beauty has been an absolute blessing.
My mom used to say “it’s not goodbye, it’s so-long for now.” I think about that a lot, and I know it to be true about this moment. So stay tuned for our next big adventure together — this isn’t the last you’ve seen of us!
So, come in and support us in this final lap and let’s spend this month celebrating all the love we have brought into Portland. Thank you from the bottom of our little pink neon hearts.
xo,
Andy & TJ”
For more information regarding Little Woodfords, visit their website and/or Instagram.
