The Molecule Effect's Landlord Agrees to Extend Lease

One small business is celebrating a big win. After receiving a surprise notice from its landlord in September that its lease would not be renewed, The Molecule Effect announced that it would be forced to close its original location at 1201 Santa Fe Drive on October 15.

But then the community stepped in and spoke up.

Owned by Mark Landman and his wife, Megyn Rodgers, the Molecule Effect, which has a second location in Washington Park, has long been more than a cafe to the people who live and work in the Art District on Santa Fe. Since opening in late 2014, it's been a place that supports local artists and community groups, and offers a safe haven where people can gather.

While longtime customer Beth Sebian always appreciated the friendly staff at her go-to spot for a cup of coffee, over the years she came to see the Molecule Effect as something more. "It's not just that I want my morning coffee fix. I want to support a business that supports my neighborhood," she told Westword after learning of the impending closure.

On October 8, Sebian held a meeting to make sure the voices of the community were heard. And with the vocal support of its customers, the Molecule Effect was able to reach an agreement with its landlord, Horace McCowan of Horace Properties, for a short-term, six-month lease just days before it was planning to close.

"Megyn and I can’t express enough gratitude to our community, our staff and our landlord for supporting us and working with us," says Landman. "This will provide us time to transition to a new location more smoothly. We are still in the process of identifying a new home in the Santa Fe Art District, but now we will not have to lay off any employees nor shock our amazing community with a quick closure."

To celebrate, the Molecule Effect will host a grand reopening celebration on Saturday, October 23, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with 50 percent off bottles of wine, two-for-one espresso martinis, $3 Ratio Beerworks cans, $5 Moscow Mules, and a raffle for a gift card and espresso beans.