SALISBURY — Coffee-lovers were stunned to find Tastebuds Coffee Shop shuttered this week in downtown Salisbury.
Owner Kirk Knapp told the Post he doesn’t know whether the popular coffee and tea shop at 106 N. Main St. will reopen. He said the closure is unrelated to the business.
“The business was holding its own,” Knapp said.
He said he could not go into detail about why he closed the shop, which opened in 2008.
Knapp’s message on the shop’s Facebook page was short and to the point, “I am sorry but Tastebuds is closed. Kirk.”
The status update generated dozens of protests from fans. Some asked if it was a joke, while others said they hoped the shop was closed temporarily.
Knapp told the Post he could not comment further.
Knapp and his wife, Arba Knapp, moved from Hawaii to buy and remodel the building at 106 N. Main St. Tastebuds featured fair-trade, organically grown coffee from Dixie’s Roasting Co. in China Grove and cupcakes by Two Red Hens of Salisbury.
Downtown Salisbury has another locally owned coffee shop, Koko Java at 329 N. Main St.
Tastebuds was voted Best Coffee Shop in Rowan County by the readers of Rowan Magazine in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.