The property that houses College Perk Coffeehouse was recently listed for sale, threatening to be another student-oriented business failure. But College Perk owner Chris Gordon said he has no worries about the future of the business.
While Gordon did not specify why he was selling his property, he said he didn’t think the reason was interesting. The important thing, he said, was the coffeehouse will not be closing, just potentially changing management in the next few years.
The 1.58-acre property, located at the northwest corner of Route 1 and University Boulevard, is listed for $3.2 million.
Recent tensions with city officials over the coffee house’s liquor license didn’t incite Gordon’s decision, but it didn’t help it, he added.
The City of College Park has a pending lawsuit with College Perk about unpaid license fees, which Gordon said he refuses to pay on principle, and is also considering contesting the establishment’s liquor license renewal.
“They’re really just out to screw the students on most things,” he said, rattling off criticisms on items as varied as rent control to garbage collection as evidence. “If the city made it a little easier to do business here, it might be different.”
College Park District 2 councilman Bob Catlin said he thought the issue was very simple: College Perk had refused to let its apartment units be inspected and licensed, and did not pay the city fee for a liquor license.
“[Gordon] refuses to comply with any of the city’s regulations like everyone else,” Catlin said. “He doesn’t agree with any regulation.”
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