AUSTIN, Texas — After nearly two decades in East Austin's Cherrywood neighborhood, Thunderbird Coffee is permanently closing.
In an Instagram post made on Friday, the shop announced that it will permanently close by Dec. 17, after 17 years of business.
In the post, owner Ryan McElroy stated that Thunderbird never really bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic and it is not certain it can continue to offer good jobs and operate sustainably, so it has made the decision to close.
McElroy – who says in the post that he met his wife at Thunderbird – also said that the business will be changing its hours for the remainder of its time. The shop will be open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting Monday, Oct. 9. The exact day of closure will be determined by the shop's team, but McElroy said it will close no later than Dec. 17.
"We love you, we're so thankful for you and we hope to see you one last time," McElroy said.
According to its website, Thunderbird opened its location on Manor Road in 2006. KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman report that a second location of Thunderbird on Koenig Lane closed early in the pandemic and was converted into a second location of Bird Bird Biscuit, the restaurant McElroy opened with former Thunderbird general manager Brian Batch on Manor Road in 2018.
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