Good Karma Cafe re-opens Pine St location one year after abrupt closure
Good Karma Cafe on Pine Street in Philadelphia has had a tumultuous journey, but after one year away, it’s come out the other side. This popular cafe, known for its prime location, free Wi-Fi, and hearty food and drinks, abruptly closed its doors in January 2023 due to embezzlement by an employee. Here, Good Karma owner Shawn Nesbit claimed $17,000 was embezzled from the cafe by a rogue member of staff.
The cafe has since been reopened, emerging with a fresh new look with the same menu. Good Karma Cafe was founded in 2007 and now has multiple locations in Philadelphia, including S 22nd St, Broad St Square, and Pine Street. Often, when restaurants or cafes close down, they can become permanent. Due to the lack of information at the time surrounding its closure, many Philly residents assumed this was the case with the Pine Street location.
Employees at Good Karma Cafe made history in March of last year when they became one of the first cafes in Philadelphia to unionize, joining forces with Local 80, a union focused on service industry workers. Over the years, Good Karma Cafe has earned a stellar reputation as one of Philly’s go-to coffee shops where it offers a variety of drinks and hot snacks.
