'We gave it our best shot': Oakland coffee shop and art gallery permanently closes

Tertulia Coffee & Gallery on 1951 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland has permanently closed. Tertulia Coffee & Gallery on 1951 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland has permanently closed. Photo: Margaret H. On Yelp Photo: Margaret H. On Yelp Image 1 of / 19 Caption Close 'We gave it our best shot': Oakland coffee shop and art gallery permanently closes 1 / 19 Back to Gallery

An Oakland coffee shop, known for showcasing vibrant artwork, has permanently closed its doors after nearly five years.

Tertulia Coffee & Gallery, at 1951 Telegraph Ave., closed Sunday after sharing a post on Facebook that said things had become too difficult to operate the small business.

“We gave it our best shot and weren’t afraid to take risks to achieve a dream,” the post read. “Unfortunately, this endeavor requires significant amounts of capital to sustain losses early on and give a business the time it needs to become profitable.”

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During the four and a half years Tertulia Coffee was in business, more than 175 artists had their work displayed within the space. According to the Facebook post, Tertulia Coffee wrote that it wanted to create an art gallery with pieces from artists of color.

“Many had never shown their work to the public before and we were honored to be able to share those moments with them,” the post read.

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The Tertulia Coffee closure comes at a time when other cafes around the Bay Area have grappled to survive as shelter in place orders have shifted business operations. In San Francisco, coffee shops like The Mill have adapted to a general store model to sell flour and sourdough starters, among other goods.

Tertulia Coffee & Gallery is located at 1951 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland.

Susana Guerrero is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: Susana.Guerrero@sfgate.com | Twitter: @SusyGuerrero3