Beloved Galt cafe bids bittersweet farewell after 23 years

CTV’s Alexandra Holyk heads to Galt as a café that has served the community for decades prepares to close its doors.

A community cornerstone in downtown Cambridge, Ont., has officially closed after more than 23 years in business.

Friday was the final day for Grand Café and customers flocked for a final beverage, baked good, and goodbye.

Michelle George and her husband Michael set up shop in 2003 after moving from Toronto.

“We were really missing a coffee shop and there wasn’t anything downtown where you could get specialty coffee,” said George. “We missed it so much that when we saw a ‘for rent’ sign in this location, we thought, ‘You know what? Let’s do it.’”

It began as a takeout spot but soon grew to include sit-down dining.

Over the years, the café saw everything — from major construction projects to major productions.

“We’ve had a lot of different film crews in the area over the years,” said George. “And of course, The Handmaid’s Tale was definitely one of the bigger productions."

George said the crew filming the television series would often come by for coffee or use the space in various scenes.

The coffee shop was also visited by actors including Richard Gere and Ian Somerhalder from TV series The Vampire Diaries.

“It’s like little Hollywood Cambridge happening here,” George said.

While not every customer has been a celebrity, many who visited the café on its last day celebrated the memories they made.

“This has been my happy coffee place for 23-plus years,” said Nancy White, a longtime patron.

“They’re always wonderful to us and really enjoyed the experience,” customer Bill Roberts said.

“Especially sharing coffee and treats, I’ve especially loved the brownies,” added Andrew Bornyi.

George said the decision to retire wasn’t easy — especially with so much history brewed into the business.

“It’s not just a cup of coffee,” George said as tears welled in her eyes. “It’s relationships that you build.”

The tearful farewell was paired with a heartfelt message of gratitude.

“Thank you to everyone who supported us over the years,” said George. “You’ll forever be a part of the Grand Café memories.”

While Friday was the café’s final day in business, George said the shop will be selling some of its equipment over the next few weeks and cleaning out.

“And on [March] 31st, we hand over the keys to the landlord, and we’re gonna hop on a plane and go do some travelling,” she said.