Out Of Business

"It was nothing romantic," says Waters of that fateful day this past February. "The coffeehouse closed like it opened. It just sort of opened and just sort of closed. I thought I'd break down and cry, but I didn't.

"Our hearts started it; our personality was in that coffeehouse. So when we closed the doors at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning, it was just a shell."

Waters has since moved to San Francisco, where he is seeking a high-tech job. "I thought it'd be nice to get a paycheck every two weeks," he reasons.

At least Waters' experience hasn't left him bitter. "As time goes on, you remember the good stuff, and the bad stuff isn't as bad," he says. "Even after a year [in business], I'd look around and think, `I still love this place.' I never got bored with it."

Do those fond memories mean Waters would someday, somehow, consider starting another business? "Yes," he says, "and I'm kicking myself for it."

This article was originally published in the August 1998 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Out Of Business.