Back in 2014 a coffee shop called DownTown Coffee Lounge (which would later become Compass Rose Cafe) opened at 625 Chetco Avenue, smack dab in the middle of Brookings, Oregon.
It was a quirky, Star Wars themed coffee shop, owned and operated by a fellow named Todd Baker. He ran the shop from 2014-2018 before selling and moving on to a galaxy far, far away.
In 2018, Rose Cretser purchased DownTown Coffee Lounge, kicked Yoda and Darth Vader into hyperspace, and rebranded. A dash of paint and a few changes to the menu later, and Compass Rose Cafe was born.
Rose operated her cafe for two years, until October of 2020, when she sold it to Pete and Natalie Crino, fresh from Utah with their 4 children: Chloe, Liam, Ava and Vivian. One month later, in November, they took over the operation full-time.
The Curry Coastal Pilot ran a story about the Crino Family and how they found their way to Brookings. Read more here to learn all about their magical journey from Utah to Brookings.
Hurry In Curry & The Crino Family
I met the Crinos when they moved to Brookings back in October of 2020. They called Hurry In Curry for a delivery, and (since they weren’t too familiar with the area yet) assistance selecting a restaurant. I recommended Khun Thai, which I brought to the Crinos where they were staying at the former Upper Chetco School, which had been renovated and converted into rentals some years prior.
The Crinos are a very friendly, warm family, and we chatted for a bit about my business, their long move, their coming restaurant venture, and ways we might interact in the future.
Over the next few weeks, they moved down river a bit to another temporary space, and I kept on bringing them food while we got to know each other and they got to know the area. Eventually they found a home in town (in Brookings) and moved in. Over the three years they’ve lived in Brookings and operated Compass Rose, I’ve come to know them as customers, business associates and friends.
They have been very supportive of Hurry In Curry as customers, as well as through their restaurant. They put our info on their takeout menus, on their website, and in facebook posts. In kind, we pass their menus out, list them on our website, and make posts about their restaurant. It’s a great working relationship. One that I hope to see continue for years to come…
Uncertain Future
After five years in operation, Compass Rose Cafe is now officially closed at their 625 Chetco Avenue location…with hopes of reopening soon at a new, undisclosed location.
The closure was unplanned. The owners were recently unable to renew their lease at that location. With only 2 weeks notice to vacate, they went straight to work clearing out and looking for a new space right away.
This is a difficult time for the Crinos, as Compass Rose was their sole source of income. They’re asking for support from the community and customers they’ve come to know and love. Please consider making a donation to their cause:
Donations can be made in person at Umpqua Bank to the “Save Compass Rose Cafe” fund.
Triple Business Closure
The Crino-owned version of Compass Rose was open from November of 2020 until Monday, July 24th, 2023. During that time they not only expanded the menu, but they also created two additional side businesses in the same space (which are also now at risk of disappearing): Mama Crino’s Italian Ice and Brookwingz.
Farewell For Now!
On their final day in business, the owners addressed the community via facebook, with a farewell (for now) post:
“Good morning, beautiful Brookings! Sadly, today is the last day that we will be open (at this location). We have turned off Google, so we can “hide” from the tourists, to allow you, our cherished locals, to come in one last time and say goodbye (for now) without dealing with the summer lines we tend to get.
Thank you once again, for making these past 3 years so enjoyable for us. We have adored serving you and getting to know you and we will never forget you! This is not goodbye but merely a, “We’ll Meet Again.” Stay tuned for exciting news…we will be back soon!”
Hope For the Future
In their own words:
“An amazing new location has just opened up, but it will require some help to get it going. Namely, it needs its own public restroom and decent kitchen to be constructed…The dream is to build something bigger and better, that will be open 7 days a week, including evenings…A unique small-town gathering space that welcomes all, always…so all proceeds will go toward renovating the new space and retaining our wonderful employees that have stuck by us over the years…”
Again, donations can be made in person at Umpqua Bank to the “Save Compass Rose Cafe” fund.
The Story Continues…
The Compass Rose Cafe Blog Post is unique in that it will be updated periodically until such time as Compass Rose Cafe, Mama Crino’s Italian Ice and Brookwingz are back up and running. So remember to check back frequently. As of this writing, Mama Crino’s Italian Ice is currently OPEN at the Brookings Harbor Farmers Market, located at 15786 Highway 101 South, in Harbor. If you care to enjoy a delicious treat while dropping off a donation in person, the Crinos will be down there on Wednesdays and Fridays for the time being.
Thank you for taking time out of your day to read the Hurry In Curry Blog. You RULE!!!
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Update: As of 11/27/23, Compass Rose Cafe is back open.
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Gabriel Chatman
Owner/Operator
Hurry In Curry Deliveries