Shenandoah Joe’s Dave Fafara says the Ivy Road Java Java should be open under the Shenandoah Joe name in three weeks.
FILE PHOTO BY WILL WALKER

Following up on rumors that the Downtown and Ivy Road Java Java coffee houses were closing, Dish decided to give downtown owner/manager Ervin Santiago a call. In 2007, Santiago cut a local franchising deal of sorts with Ivy location owner and former McIntire School of Commerce business prof John Leschke after the space downtown next to the Nook was lavishly renovated.  So what was going on? 

“Hello, this is Masood,” a man said after we’d asked to speak to the owner.

Masood?

“I bought the Java Java downtown in the beginning of February,” Masood Ayat explained. 

And the Ivy Road location?

“Yes, it is closed; it was something they just did overnight,” said Ayat. “They sold it to Shenandoah Joe.”

This was getting interesting. Just a few weeks ago Leschke was identified and quoted as the co-owner of the Downtown Java Java in a C-Ville Weekly story about the Java Java rumors.

The Hook’s attempts to reach Leschke were unsuccessful, as the phone at the Ivy location was out of service. Update 2/19/09: Dish finally did reach Leschke’s wife and partner, Susan. “It was time to get out of the coffee business and have some new adventures,” she explained. And she’s happy the Ivy Road shop will open again as a coffee shop “so those folks on the west end of town can still look forward to a great cup of coffee.” 

The Iranian-born Ayat explained that he owned an Italian restaurant in Virginia Beach for 21 years before moving here three years ago to be with his daughter and her children. “I wanted to do something that didn’t have anything to do with food,” admits Ayat, “but I couldn’t really find anything. And this opportunity came up.”

Ayat says he plans to modify the name, calling it Java Java Café, because he eventually wants to start serving sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Ayat admits it hasn’t been an ideal time to step in as an owner with a $7.5 million renovation of the brick surface underway.

“It’s hurt us a little bit, and the weather has been tough this winter.” But he’s optimistic about the project and hopes to have his outdoor café space back come spring. “The workers are moving very fast,” he says.

As for Shenandoah Joe owner Dave Fafara, he was definitely caught off guard when we called. “Part true,” he said when we asked if he’d bought the Ivy Road Java Java. “Yeah, we did, but things are not finalized yet.”

“So you are buying it?”

“The chances are high that we will be buying it, yes.”

Resigned to the fact that the word was out, Fafara revealed that the Ivy Road Java Java should be open under the Shenandoah Joe name in three weeks if everything goes according to plan. He also says “things will be a little different” over there, with an emphasis on handcrafted estate coffees from personal farms. After roasting coffee since 1995, Fafara opened his existing café location on Preston Avenue in May 2007. 

Man, even Dish has trouble keeping track of the restaurant scene these days. But we’re glad the Java Java case is solved. And make sure you stop in and give Masood a warm welcome!