Since its inception at The Great Northern five years ago, Johan Fahlgren's Norma Coffee House has served coffee as well as lunches, with a strong focus on specialist coffee and vegetarian soups - something that for many years was a recipe for success with a steady flow of customers.
But over the last year in particular, there has been a large exodus from the premises. Several companies and entrepreneurs have chosen to leave, while newcomers are rare.
It is also one of the big reasons why coffee fan Johan will soon have made his last soup and pressed his last coffee from behind the cafe counter at Norma. Via a social media post on Monday, Johan announced Norma's closure on Monday, and when Norran gets hold of Johan, he elaborates on the decision:
– We are closing because there aren't that many customers left anymore, and because my kidneys have stopped working.
Your kidneys have stopped working? What do you mean by that?
– It's a congenital problem that I've lived with all my life, but now my kidneys only have a few percent left, so I don't have the energy to run the cafe anymore.
That must be a difficult decision...
– Yes indeed. It's a real bore. We've been going for five years, so it's super sad to be forced to make this decision.
Norma will be open for two more weeks.