The team behind Gaia Coffee and Food To Go, a popular vegetarian and vegan café on Lord Street in Douglas, has announced that their time running the business is coming to an end and are inviting anyone interested in taking over.

Since opening in the summer of 2024, Gaia has offered plant-based hot drinks, sandwiches, cakes, and sweet treats, including its signature ‘superfood lattes’, and has built a loyal following among locals.

The owners explained that a family situation means they can no longer dedicate the time necessary for the café to thrive.

They wrote on Facebook that ‘our time is coming to an end’ and encouraged anyone who had supported Gaia, or thinks they could do better, to step forward and take over.

They added that before abandoning the efforts and investment put into the business over the past 16 months, they wanted to see if someone might be interested in continuing its success.

In the meantime, the café will continue to operate its usual schedule from Tuesday to Saturday.

Gaia’s owners previously reached out to the community for support in October 2024, saying that the bus passengers they hoped to get through the door are ‘not even looking their way’ and were appealing for people to try them out.

In a heartfelt post last year, it said it was grateful to the amazing regular customers who ‘love the concept of our coffee shop’, but ‘decided to be honest and show transparency’.

But in recent months the team have expressed their big thanks for the ongoing backing from local customers.

Anyone interested in taking over the café is encouraged to contact the team via [email protected], with the possibility of continuing to serve Douglas residents with its range of plant-based offerings and friendly, community-focused atmosphere.