Few people noticed when Koffee Klatch closed in early February because it was during the middle of a pounding rainstorm.
An adjacent business owner said people just came, took everything, covered the windows and left.
No notice, no community outreach, no funeral. For a popular gathering spot that served Laguna Beach since 1998, it was an inglorious end to a wonderful retreat.
Longtime owner Sam Omar had sold the iconic coffee hangout a couple years ago, and he, too, was surprised and saddened by the abrupt closure.
“Even though I didn’t run it lately, the Klatch always had a special place in my heart,” he said. “I opened the business back in 1998, and it was my passion. I love coffee and loved making customers feel like this was home away from home.”
The Klatch was unique and comfortable and cool. The decorations, the sofas, the crowd, all spoke Laguna.
“It was like a community gathering place,” Omar said. “Throughout the years, I used to get a lot of feedback from the locals and the tourists that the energy of the place felt good. Employees were like a family.”
No word on exactly what happened or why the business closed, located at 1440 S Coast Hwy. Perhaps the timing was coincidental, but a new coffee shop opened recently kitty-corner.
The Klatch, however, was in its own league with a history of supporting the LGBTQ community. Main Street Bar was next door, and the Boom Boom Room – during its hey-day – across the street.
“Back in early 2000, the Koffee Klatch was one of the first few businesses in Orange County that became an Internet café,” Omar said. “I loved making changes every few years in furniture, colors and art to keep it exciting and fresh.”
Now, it’s just gone, the windows covered in drab brown butcher paper. Its vibrant style simply erased.
Another little part of Laguna’s undeniable character is now just a memory.
