Owner of closed Lexington coffee shop says employees are paid, wants to reopen
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Owner Nathan Polly says all employees got delayed final paychecks Jan. 9.
- Polly plans vendor payments, seeks partners to relaunch downtown Cheapside location.
- Nate’s Coffee will keep retail roast sales and online orders with free local delivery.
The owner of a downtown Lexington coffee shop that closed abruptly after Christmas says that all of his employees have now been paid.
A former employee told the Herald-Leader earlier this week that she and four others had been let go without notice and then their final paychecks for work done before the holidays did not arrive.
Nathan Polly of Nate’s Coffee said in an interview with the Herald-Leader that as of the end of the day on Friday, Jan. 9, the workers who lost their jobs will have received their final paychecks.
They were delayed, he said because he was out of town and payroll didn’t get completed. “It was unfortunate,” Polly said.
He also said that he is working to get any unpaid vendors paid as well.
Polly said he hopes to reopen the shop on Cheapside in some fashion.
“We’ve been down there seven years and seen downtown foot traffic decline and costs rise,” he said. “Bringing in more of a food option would benefit us and I don’t have the background for that so I’m seeking advice from some other people.”
He said he’s in negotiations to reopen something, possibly with a new name, in that spot and hopes to still be a part of it.
“The idea is I would still be involved in some capacity as well as continuing to grow the roasting side of things. I want to bring Nate’s Coffee back into the downtown,” he said.
His coffee is still available to individual customers through online orders with free local delivery, he said. And in local stores including Good Foods Co-op and many other outlets.
