K2 Cafe has announced it will close its original Poolesville location later this month as the owners consolidate operations at their newer Clarksburg cafe.
In a heartfelt message shared with customers, owners Ashar Abbasi and Nichole Hodges-Abbasi thanked the Poolesville community for embracing the cafe since it opened in 2021. “There was never an us without you,” the couple wrote. “We love you with our whole hearts.”
The cafe’s final day at 17610 W. Willard Road will be July 30. Going forward, K2 Cafe will operate exclusively from its Clarksburg location at 23329 Frederick Road, which opened earlier this year.
The announcement included special messages to the Poolesville High School students and cyclists who helped make the cafe a local gathering place. “Students: that hour of massive chaos during lunch was so wonderful. You give us hope for the future,” they wrote. “Cyclists: we loved being your oasis and getting to know so many friends.”
We’ve previously shared the story of K2 Cafe, involving the husband-and-wife team that had transformed a pandemic-era dream into one of Poolesville’s most popular lunch destinations. The cafe became known for its American menu with Himalayan influences, serving bowls, wraps, specialty coffee drinks, and homemade treats. Long lunch lines regularly stretched outside the door as Poolesville High School students chose K2 over nearby fast food, while weekend cyclists made it a favorite stop during rides through western Montgomery County.
The couple’s story has been as memorable as the cafe itself. Nichole, a Montgomery County Public Schools teacher, and Ashar, whom she met during a chance taxi ride in Washington, D.C. in 2003, built K2 Cafe around their shared passion for food, community, and hospitality. Their dream, launched with little more than pandemic stimulus funds, quickly found a loyal following.
While the decision marks the end of an era for Poolesville, customers will still be able to enjoy K2 Cafe’s menu and welcoming atmosphere at its Clarksburg location. “We are excited to get to know our Clarksburg community but we will never forget our first roots in Poolesville,” the owners wrote. “We thank this community for everything that we are. Much love. See you in Clarksburg!”
