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Casbah Café In Silver Lake Suddenly Closed Overnight
Casbah no more (Photo by Atwater Village Newbie via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Casbah Café in Silver Lake appears to have closed overnight, leaving behind little trace of what became of the beloved spot for refreshments and free wifi. The French-Moroccan-themed neighborhood institution at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Hyperion was open as recently as Sunday, but by Monday, the café gate was shuttered and empty, according to an LAist tipster. While there had been a "For Sale" sign hanging in the window of the café for sometime—which is now hanging outside of the gate—the sudden closure has caught many fans of the small eatery off guard.
As Eater LA points out, the Yelp page for Casbah now indicates that it is closed and Yelpers are confused over the sudden closure. Posts to their Facebook page are similarly bewildered.
LAist has reached out to the former owners of the Casbah Café for comment, but have not heard anything back yet. When we contacted the number on the "For Sale" sign, we were told that "the owner had left the country" and nothing more.
Silver Lake staple Casbah Cafe has closed. 😫 (via @eaterla ) https://t.co/F1wdiWuuUA pic.twitter.com/Lcq3LCHGMA
— KCRW (@kcrw) December 16, 2015
The charming and colorful café had been a great place to stop in for strong coffee, a pot of tea and some delicious pastries, light salads and sandwiches. They also offered free wifi—though some tables were "wifi-free zones"—so it was a good spot for getting work done or some leisurely browsing. They also had a small boutique in the back where you could shop for artisanal and imported crafts, clothing, home goods and more. And if you preferred some fresh air, you could snag a seat at the small round table outside beneath blooming trellises for some excellent Sunset Junction people-watching.
And while we don't yet know for sure why the Casbah is no longer rocking, at least one Twitter user has shared his thoughts on the closure, suggesting that there had long been rumors of unlawful wage practices at the café.
After years of rumors of unlawful wage practices, a #Silverlake institution closes its doors abruptly. #CasbahCafe #FuckTheCasbah
— Marcus F Benigno (@mfbenigno) December 15, 2015
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