My parents recently suffered the loss of their neighborhood coffee shop, and they're absolutely crushed by this. They don't discuss emotions, but I can discern

My parents recently suffered the loss of their neighborhood coffee shop, and they're absolutely crushed by this. They don't discuss emotions, but I can discern by their reaction that there is now a huge hole in their social life. And it's true. This place was the community hub for everyone who matters to them. They all converged there and met, every morning or every week. Mom and Dad both had their favorite dishes and drinks, and Dad would go nuts if they ran out of his bagel type. He would call ahead just to reserve it! They absolutely thrived on walking up (about 8 blocks away) and hanging out there, just to read the paper and chat with other locals. They knew everyone. They were immersed in all the gossip, about how the place was run (by a pair of husbands) and the guy down the street and all their friends. They had a special meeting on Sundays with some church friends. When I used to visit them, they'd still go every morning and invite me along. Once I came back with bizarre blood-sugar readings because I had been drinking an XL Vanilla Milkshake and cream-cheese jalapeño-cheddar bagel every single day. My parents introduced me around to everyone, and they were usually really nice. I spotted an ex-girlfriend there once, but she didn't notice me. The owners had another location a few miles away, but I think that's been closed down, too. My Dad is now going by every day to glean some sort of news about what's become of the building, whether it's got new owners or tenants, and whether it's going to continue as a coffeehouse. Meanwhile, they've set up shop at a different place, two blocks away.