Owner of popular, decades-old Hillsborough Street coffee shop dies
The owner of a popular Hillsborough Street coffee shop died this past week.
Dave Sullivan, the owner of Cup A Joe, which opened in 1991 and became a fixture for students at N.C. State University and the rest of the community, died suddenly on Thursday morning, the coffee shop announced Saturday on Facebook. It did not specify a cause of death.
“We are all in shock and appreciate the love and support that is already pouring in,” staff wrote in the post.
Tributes accumulated throughout the day from longtime patrons of the coffee shop and others who had known Sullivan for decades and remembered him as a kind and welcoming member of the local community.
Some recalled working for Sullivan in the ‘90s, others said the coffee shop became a part of their morning routine when they moved to the area. One person said the coffee shop was one of the reasons they decided to move to North Carolina. Several others remembered how Sullivan opened the shop to local musicians.
The coffee shop will stay open, but customers should call for holiday hours and more information, according to the post. Obituary and memorial information will be shared later.
This story was originally published December 23, 2023 at 5:48 PM.
