Marshall Street says goodbye to the Yemeni coffee shop
BY Sasha Fafel ★ november 1st, 2026
Photo Credit: Sasha Fafel
Haraz Coffee House on Marshall Street has shut its doors less than a year after opening, due to a lawsuit alleging that local owners violated its franchise agreement.
The lawsuit, filed on September 25, alleges that local ownership began purchasing drink supplies, along with packaging and other products from non-Haraz suppliers, which violated the parent corporation’s rules, according to the lawsuit. The storefront also halted royalty payments and removed monitoring access to sales data on Toast from the Haraz company.
Haraz Coffee House, at 125 Marshall Street, opened in December 2025 after replacing the beloved Shirt World, a Syracuse University-themed merchandise store, that had operated for 48 years. The cafe sold coffee and pastries, along with traditional Yemeni drinks.
The storefront closed about two weeks ago, according to surrounding local business owners. Outdoor signage was subsequently removed and the store has been listed as “permanently closed” on Google.
“I’m really sad. I used to go there to get myself a drink before going to class. It was a bit expensive but it was worth it”, Angelina Gomez, a SU freshman studying International Relations, said.
Haraz Coffee House was founded in 2021 by Hamzah Nasser in Dearborn, Michigan. The company had expanded more than 60 locations with over 250 stores in development, according to its website.
“We are here to spread Yemeni coffee culture to Syracuse University”, said Mohammad Alsaldi, one of the local owners, in an interview with Syracuse.com reporter Don Cazentre.
Haraz Coffee House is not the first business to close on Marshall Street in recent years.
J. Michael Shoes, a long-time storefront on the street, closed at the end of May after 40 years in business, according to the Daily Orange. Lucy Blu, a popular bar that opened in 2022, underwent management changes in July, rebranding as Pitch Social at the beginning of the school year, the Daily Orange reported.
Edited by: Charlene Nomeny