After eight years as a community hub, Germantown Espresso Bar announced it will close, citing mounting costs that made operations unsustainable. The café, which reopened in February at 6369 Germantown Ave. after a two-year hiatus from its Maplewood Mall location, leaves behind a legacy of fair-wage commitments, events, and mutual-aid efforts like a pet pantry and pay-it-forward board. The team says they’ll continue connecting through pop-ups and neighborhood events.