Here’s Why Beloved Coffee Shop Twiggs San Diego is Closing
Twiggs San Diego, a much-loved local coffee shop and bakery, is officially closing Tuesday after more than 30 years in business.
The Twiggs Bakery & Coffeehouse was first founded in 1992 by a husband-and-wife duo on Park Boulevard, just north of Balboa Park. Eventually, the coffee shop opened a second bakery location just a few blocks away.
Although Twiggs San Diego switched ownership a couple of times during its run, it became a beloved neighborhood institution. Alongside a selection of coffee, pastries, and baked goods, the cafe also hosted pick-up scrabble games, a small lending library of books, and live musical performances.
It also had a homestyle feel with variously sized tables — so the coffee shop had something for everyone from lone studiers to community groups.
Current owner Adrian Arancibia told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the closure saddens him. He attributed the closure to higher costs, rising inflation and interest rates, and increased wages. Although he supported higher wages for workers, the reality of running a business during the current economic climate made shutting Twiggs San Diego down an inevitability.
Demand for one of Twiggs San Diego’s most crucial, wedding cakes, also faltered in recent years. In the past few months, orders for wedding cakes fell by more than 50%, Arancibia told the Union-Tribune.
Arancibia is an English professor at Miramar College, and a poet. During his time as owner, he wanted to create a cozy and artistic space where everyone was welcome — cementing Twiggs as one of the best coffee shops in San Diego.
However, in an op-ed he penned for the Union-Tribune in July, he wrote that the current economic situation of San Diego has made it nearly impossible for artists to thrive. “Those of us supporting and producing arts and literature in the San Diego region face the end of making due, the end of finding ways,” he wrote.
Twiggs San Diego’s last day is Tuesday, Oct. 10. Arancibia said he hopes a new owner will bring the cafe and bakery a new life.
Media credit: Image of Twiggs Bakery & Coffeehouse courtesy of twiggs.org.
Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
