Damen's Caribou Staying Open for 1 Year, Reps Say

Although the local Caribou Coffee will not be shuttering its doors Sunday when several others are set to close, it is part of the company's larger reorginzation.

Employees at the shop, 1611 N. Damen Ave., said Monday that they just learned of Caribou's upcoming changes on Friday. Although their store was spared from having to close for good on April 14, it will be doing so in May 2013.

"We'll be transitioning into Peets Coffee and Tea," said an employee. "We'll remain open until May of next year. So don't worry, you still have time to come in."

The change is part of a larger movement for the company—80 of the nation's struggling stores will close and 88 others will be converted to Peet's Coffee & Tea locations, according to company representatives. One of nearby Lincoln Park's shops at 2453 N. Clark St. is among those that will be closing on Sunday. Another at North Clark Street and West Wellington Avenue will become a Peet's.

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The conversions will take anywhere from a year to 18 months, said a Caribou spokeswoman on Monday.

"Going forward, Caribou Coffee will be made up of 468 locations across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Western Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Denver, and ten international markets," Caribou representatives said in a written statement. 

The Minnesota-based chain currently has 18 stores in Chicago, most of which are likely to close permanently under the reorganization, employees said. There are 66 Illinois stores, overall. 

Representatives thanked dedicated Caribou fans Monday for their support over the years.

"While the decisions we’ve made have been difficult for our team in Minneapolis, as well as our team members across the country and our guests and fans everywhere, we are working to make this transition as seamless as possible for the Caribou community," they said.