Downtown Transcend location to close doors after 2-year grind

After twoyears of brewing coffee in the basement of the Mercer Building across from Rogers Place,Transcend says there's not enough local foot traffic to stay open.

The independent coffee shop will closeits downtown locationon Feb.26.

"The reality is when the arena opened in September, we didn't experience that bump at all. It didn't transform the density around the Mercer Building to the extent we expected," said Poul Mark, Transcend's founder. "On event night the people going to the game don't want coffee. They want beer and some food."

Mark said initially there weresigns of increased business butnot enough to justify staying open.

"In Edmonton terms, it's a bit remote. It's four blocks from Jasper and four blocks from the core and four blocks fromMacEwan. People have to make a decision and aneffort to get out and walk."

The owner of the Mercer Building partnered with Transcend to offer coffee service for tenants of the building. This included a no-cost lease.

This is the second Transcend downtown location to close. In 2013 the company shut down another coffee shop atJasper Avenue and 103rd Street. Despite those two closures, Mark says he'sstill willing to give it another shot downtown.

Transcend Coffeeis moving ahead withitsnew location in south Edmonton's Ritchie neighbourhood. It's scheduled to open in March.

@Travismcewancbc