‘Not the ending we wanted’: Sonnies Coffee House announces forthcoming closure

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Leitrim Observer did not seek comment from Caroline McHugh, proprietor of the premises, when this article was originally published online. We acknowledge that this was a shortcoming in our reporting, as her perspective on the lease discussions was relevant and would have provided readers with a fuller picture of the circumstances surrounding the closure. We apologise to Caroline for not giving her an opportunity to comment before publication. The article has been updated to include further information about the lease discussions.

Sonnies Coffee House has announced that it will be closing its doors in the coming weeks after confirming that its lease will not be renewed.

The business shared the disappointing news with customers in an emotional social media post, thanking the local community for its support and describing the closure as an ending it had not wanted.

“As many of you already know, it’s with a heavy heart that I announce Sonnies will be closing its doors shortly, as unfortunately, our lease is not being renewed,” the post stated.

“It is certainly not the ending we wanted. We don’t have a confirmed closing date just yet, but we will keep you all updated as soon as we know more.”

The announcement marks a disappointing development for the coffee house, which has built up a loyal customer base and become a place for people to meet, enjoy a coffee and catch up with friends. In a heartfelt message, the business expressed its gratitude to everyone who had supported Sonnies throughout its journey.

“Whether you’ve been with us since day one or only discovered us recently, every single one of you has played a part in making Sonnies what it is today. Every coffee bought, every visit, every kind word, every recommendation and every bit of support has meant more than you will ever know.”

The post continued: “Sonnies has been about so much more than coffee and food, it’s been about the people who walked through our doors, the friendships made and the little moments that made it all worthwhile.”

A special tribute was also paid to the staff who helped make the business a success, with the owner thanking the team for their hard work, friendship and dedication.

“Sonnies wouldn’t have been the same without you. Thank you for the hard work, the laughs, the friendships and all the memories made along the way.”

Despite the disappointment, the business encouraged customers to continue visiting during its remaining weeks of trading.

“Although this isn’t the ending we wanted, we want to make the most of our last few weeks, so please keep calling in, grabbing your favourites and having the chats with us!”

While the closure of the current premises is approaching, the announcement ended on a hopeful note, suggesting that the Sonnies name could return in the future.

“And who knows… this might not be the last of Sonnies.”

An official closing date has not yet been confirmed.

Further information on lease discussions:

Following publication of the original article, Caroline McHugh, proprietor of the premises, contacted the Leitrim Observer to provide further information about the circumstances surrounding the lease.

Ms McHugh says the owners initially offered a further two-year lease in April, with a view to expanding into the adjacent shopfront. She says they subsequently learned that architectural planning permission would be required for the expansion, and a revised offer was made in May that excluded the additional shopfront.

WhatsApp messages provided to the newspaper show a message from Ms McHugh on May 8 discussing the revised lease proposal, followed by a response from the tenant on August 27 asking for a two-year lease to be drawn up on the existing basis.

Ms McHugh says the owners received no response to their offer for nearly four months and, during that period, had to make alternative plans for the commercial unit rather than risk leaving it vacant.

She says that when the tenant responded in late August, the owners had already made other plans and were unable to proceed with the lease as originally proposed. Ms McHugh also says the tenant had been exploring alternative premises during this period, but that those plans did not proceed.

The original article reported Sonnies’ announcement that its lease would not be renewed but did not include the proprietor’s perspective on the preceding discussions or the reasons the owners say they made alternative plans.

The Leitrim Observer acknowledges that the proprietor should have been approached for comment before publication. We apologise for this shortcoming and have updated the article to provide readers with this additional context.

The newspaper has also invited Sonnies to respond to the additional information and will consider any relevant response for inclusion in this article.