Inkwell Coffeehouse has closed: 'A Long Branch staple since the '60s'

The Inkwell Coffeehouse, a Long Branch institution known for its live music, open mic nights and Dutch coffee, has reportedly closed.

The announcement was made via social media.

"The Inkwell has a been a Long Branch staple since the 60’s. Home to our committed staff and our huge family of regulars," reads the most recent post on the Inkwell's Instagram page. "This is why it saddens us to say the good times have come to an end. We want to thank everyone for all the love and support over the years."

In light of the news, fans from throughout the state shared their memories.

"My favorite part of the Inkwell was the music: 'Noise in the Attic' (a music collective) hosted and organized by Meg O'Shea from 90.5 The Night," said Dan Guerra, 33, of Asbury Park. "The group of friends in the music scene who I've met there is what I'm going to miss the most.

"The open mic nights outdoors on the patio was relaxing and put me in the right mood after a long day," he said. "(It was) just the perfect place to be on any night."

Countless fans responded to the social media post, clearly heartbroken and imploring the business to stay open. One fan even said they would pay their rent in order to not lose the beloved establishment.

Another said this was "the worst thing that's ever happened to me."

"Is there anything we can do?" asked another. "A gofundme or something? This can't be the end."

"This is where me and my best friend went and hung out for the first time," another fan wrote, "my go-to for the best coffee I've ever tasted, where I went with loved ones on multiple occasions ... it hurts but I'm glad I came in a month or two ago, now realizing for the last time. Goodbye Inkwell, your memory will carry on."

When contacted, owner Anthony Esposito said the decision to close was bittersweet.

“It’s time," he said. "I’ve been there for 21 years and I’m exhausted.”

Esposito said he has been mulling over the decision the last few years, especially during the pandemic.

“I just came to the conclusion now that I need to take a step back,” he said. “I’m 50 years old. I’m a single dad, and I’m looking to take a step back to spend some more time with my family.

“My kids are getting older, and we kept it going for over two decades, but it’s time to move on," he said.

The Esposito family recently sold the property where the Inkwell stands (the building also houses Gifted Sara - Psychic Reader and Advisor). But Anthony Esposito said that the sale "had nothing to do with my decision.

" ... I could be open today if I wanted," he said, although he did not wish to elaborate further.

Filmmaker and podcast impresario Kevin Smith, an Inkwell customer for decades, called the news of the closure “heartbreaking.”

Smith said the Inkwell was “my favorite restaurant on the planet, (and) it always has been, hands down.”

The Red Bank-born, Highlands-raised Smith recounted frequent late-night visits to the Inkwell with friends Walter Flanagan, Bryan Johnson and Jason Mewes long before they collaborated with Smith on his iconic 1994 debut film "Clerks."

Smith hung an audition notice for "Clerks" in the storied coffee house, and the legacy of the Inkwell carries into the film's upcoming sequel "Clerks III" — Randal Graves, played by Jeff Anderson, wears a custom-made Inkwell T-shirt in the new film, Smith revealed.

“It was important to me to have the Inkwell represented, so it was gutting to find out it’s closing,” Smith said.

Smith was even able to find new favorites at the Inkwell after switching to a vegan diet in recent years, describing their Chubby Bunny wrap (plant-based chicken patties, shoestring fries, marinara sauce, pasta and vegan mozzarella in a flour tortilla, pressed then served with chips and a pickle) as "mind-bendingly great.”

“You hate to see any institution fall on hard times," Smith said. "Particularly one that’s so absolutely revered and so loved and (that) always kept its finger on the pulse of the times.”

The roots of the Inkwell go back to the former Expresso House in the Lincoln Hotel on Kingsley in Asbury Park. It was owned in the 1960s by Joe Distasio, who opened the Inkwell at Second and Brighton in Long Branch in 1965. It later moved to its current location, 665 Second Ave.

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It was a popular, casual late-night spot, with pop art merging with found art among its multiple rooms.

“We had to make it a destination,” Esposito told The Asbury Park Press in 2016. “Let’s go the Inkwell. We have a good energy here, everybody’s happy. I let the kids there dress the way they want to dress, no corporate attire. I want them to express themselves.

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Esposito was part of the team that took over in 2001 when the Inkwell was down on it’s luck.

“We went in and cleaned it up and reopened it,” he said. “It was definitely rough. We brought back some of the original staff who taught us the ropes.”

In 2017, the Asbury Park Press named Inkwell one of the best places in the area for hot chocolate.

“A lot of people come here for the vibe,” head waitress Samantha Seda told The Asbury Park Press in 2017. “We have loud music and cool decorations, and we’re only open at night. People when they come say it’s an experience.”

Asbury Park Press reporter Alex Biese contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Inkwell Coffeehouse in Long Branch NJ has closed permanently