• Photo courtesy of Ike's Coffee & Tea Facebook page.
• Ike Isaacson is closing his second coffee shop in the Whole Foods Shopping Center this Sunday.

The Speedway Ike's Coffee & Tea location will shut its doors next week to make way for a new restaurant. The coffee lounge has been located in the Whole Foods shopping center on 3400 E. Speedway for more than 11 years. Coffee shop owner Ike Isaacson, 39, broke the news to his 13 employees that the landlord had the opportunity to re-tenant the space Wednesday night.

"I love my employees," Issacson told The Range. "Last night, when we broke the news, they couldn't have be more kind and understanding."

Issacson is paying his employees severance for the next two weeks. Ike says there's no hard feelings towards the landlords because he has been treated so well throughout the years.

Isaacson says there are currently no plans to reopen another location, but he recently signed a five-year lease for the original Ike's java lounge located in downtown's Pioneer building.

Sunday is the shop's last day of operation.

It's sad to see another locally owned business shut its doors. I have frequented that place for school and casual geeky comic book meetups, so I'm sad to see it go. I'm anxious to find out what franchise will take over that space.

More information will be provided when we know.

UPDATE:

Jersey Mike's Subs, chain headquartered in New Jersey, will take over Ike's Coffee & Tea location, according to CCIM representive Debbie Heslop. There are currently 18 locations in Northern Arizona. Heslop says the restaurant could be ready for business within three to four months.