On March 17th, Governor Kim Reynolds issued a State of Public Health Disaster Emergency that required social distancing to suppress the spread of COVID-19 in the community, turning places like Press Coffee into pick-up only. This declaration happened the week of Spring Break, a week that kicked off what was originally a four-week closure of schools but has now been extended to the end of April. These are unprecedented times, but here at Press Coffee, we hope to continue serving our community for as long as it’s feasible and safe to do so.

On the 16th of March, we were already anticipating slower business due to Spring Break, but with uncertainty setting in about the state of the world, business was abnormally slow. We began taking each day as it came, adjusting as news came of cases of Coronavirus here in Iowa and as orders came from state and local government. In a matter of days, we were required to either close up or allow carry-out services only. We know that coffee isn’t essential for everyone, but feedback so far from those who continue to frequent Press daily has been very positive. Coffee brings a sense of normalcy, ritual, and comfort in this tumultuous time we are living through. Ultimately, we decided to reduce our staff, hours, and contact with guests in order to continue serving our community.

Thankfully, we got connected with the Jump Coffee app in the weeks leading up to the pandemic because it has become vital to the livelihood of the shop. Since guests aren’t allowed inside and business has slowed to a slow trickle of people, we had to eliminate Donutland and Nodo from our menu for now. You can still get your Nodo fix with curbside pick up or with free delivery by CHOMP (use the code: ICDD). Donutland is also still available for pick up from their Cedar Rapids location, just get there before Noon! If you’re in Iowa City looking for donuts, Daylight Donuts is now open on the East side near Two Dogs Pub. Utilize their drive-thru for an easy donut fix!

As of Tuesday, there have been 26 deaths out of more than 1,000 positive cases of COVID-19 in the state of Iowa. These numbers come one month after the first positive case in Iowa, and as the trend continues upwards, things are likely to get worse before they get better. That puts us all in the same boat with no destination in sight.

We can’t thank everyone enough for their support and we will do our best to continue caffeinating the community as the need is still desired and we are allowed to do so. Please spread the word that coffee is available in Coralville and encourage your friends to download the Jump Coffee app. We now share its services with Capanna in North Liberty and Encounter Cafe in Iowa City. Don’t hesitate to come to us with your questions about home brewing, just contact us via e-mail or any of our social media.