The Downfall of Compass Coffee
Last week, a British coffee chain called Caffè Nero bought DC’s Compass Coffee at auction. It was an ignominious end for what was once one of the DMV’s hospitality high-flyers, a company founded by a pair of local guys, including one of DC’s most famous families. What went wrong? It’s a story that involves hubris, betrayal, bad decisions, and the economics of a work-from-home city. The Washington Post’s Tim Carman published a deep dive into the fall of the house of Compass, and he’s here to tell all.
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