Chelsea Toussaint, 31, of Corinth, orders coffee at West Market Square Artist Coffee House on Wednesday. Shop owner Cheryl Michaud said her business hasn't been negatively affected by the construction work at a nearby downtown intersection, but businesses closer to the roads say they have. Credit: Nick Sambides Jr. / BDN

The owner of West Market Square Artisan Coffeehouse in downtown Bangor said on Friday that she would be selling the business to two employees later this month.

Cheryl Michaud, who opened the coffeehouse in 2016, said she plans to retire. The shop is in the former location of The Big Easy, a bar located in the lobby of the adjacent Charles Inn.

The new owners are former West Market manager Wayne Johnson and current employee Aaron Parker, Michaud said. The pair will take over the business effective Feb. 13.

The Charles Inn was purchased in December 2021 by a group of Florida property developers, who closed it in early 2022 to begin extensive renovations. The hotel is expected to reopen this spring.

Coffee service will remain mostly uninterrupted as the coffeehouse changes ownership.

 

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Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native and proud Bangorian, covering business, the arts, restaurants and the culture and history of the Bangor region.