Glassbox Coffee & Juice permanently closed its two Ann Arbor locations Wednesday night, according to an email sent out by the owner Jason Friend.

As of Thursday morning, neither of the two locations - 3010 Washtenaw Ave. in the Arbor Hills plaza, and the 1335 S. University location near University of Michigan's central campus - were open.

"There is no easy way to say this, Glassbox's investor has suddenly - as of (about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday) - informed us that he cannot support our business any longer and is making us close down immediately. So as of tomorrow we are closed permanently," Friend's email read.

The 700-square-foot South University location employed more than a dozen people and opened in March 2013. The 2,200-square-foot Arbor Hills location opened less than six months later in August 2013 and employed about half-a-dozen workers.

A source with information of the closing said the company had recently pumped a lot of money and equipment into the locations and all signs pointed toward continued growth.

Toward the end of September 2014, the company posted ads online saying it was hiring full-time and part-time employees.

"We cannot express how sad and awful we feel for all of us, each one of you and ourselves, who are shocked and heartbroken," Friend wrote in the email.

"We all have created something amazing and unique together. And if it were in our control, we would never, ever do this to any of you. "

The email indicated that employees would be paid through their Wednesday shifts and compensated two weeks of severance pay.

Friend indicated in the email that he was not consulted about the closing and knew nothing of it before Wednesday afternoon.

He said he would assist the employees in finding new jobs.

"Again, we are so incredibly sorry to put you all in this...position. You don't deserve this, and we'll forever feel like we've failed you all," Friend wrote.

"We are so sorry. We love you and think you are amazing and appreciate the hard work and heart you put into Glassbox."

The shop served specialty coffee and espresso drinks, as well as fresh artisan juices.