Clove & Cedar Coffeebar Closing, Citing Pandemic Hardship

BETHESDA, MD — Clove & Cedar Coffeebar will be permanently closing its doors on Sunday, Aug. 29. The owner announced in a Facebook post that sales have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and she has decided to close the store.

"Our staff fondly recall the the weekends prior to the pandemic where there was not an empty seat in the shop," the post reads. "But especially given the rise of the Delta variant, the uncertainty of the months ahead necessitate this decision, despite our disappointment."

There is a possibility for a Clove 2.0 in the future, the post says.

Clove & Cedar was opened in 2019 by Janet Forlini, a Bethesda resident and former lawyer who wanted to create a welcoming community spot.

"Janet’s mission with opening Clove & Cedar is to not only offer a welcoming community spot but also to shine a spotlight on small local businesses and organizations, emphasizing the shop’s vision of 'local supporting local,'" the website says.

Clove & Cedar has a menu of pastries and breakfast foods, coffees, kombucha, and more.