About Arsaga's at the Depot
Cary and Cindy Arsaga began their coffee operation in Fayetteville in 1992, initially as Arsaga's Espresso Cafe on Block Street. Two decades later, Cary Arsaga became consumed by the possibility of transforming an old railroad depot near the Scull Creek Trail into something Fayetteville had never quite seen: a family-friendly community space built inside a piece of the city's physical history, at risk of permanent disrepair without intervention.
The result, which opened in 2012 after more than a year of renovation, was one of the most distinctive cafe spaces in the American South. The former depot building — low-slung, constructed along the old rail corridor that Scull Creek Trail now follows — was transformed into a light-filled brunch and coffee destination that served the neighbourhood's morning hours with food worthy of the setting. Savory and sweet crepes, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast plates executed with the care that Arsaga's had built its reputation on since 1992.
The Depot became what its founders had intended: a community anchor. On weekday mornings, Fayetteville's laptop class worked from its tables. On weekends, families arrived for brunch and stayed because the space was generous enough to accommodate children and adults simultaneously without the usual territorial friction of a cafe. The trail access made it a natural stop for cyclists and runners. The building's history made it a genuine local landmark rather than a calculated destination.
The COVID-19 pandemic closed the Depot in March 2020. Cary Arsaga made the difficult decision to permanently close the location in August 2021, citing the city's plans for a parking structure that would be built directly in front of the building. The closure prompted an outpouring of community response that confirmed what the opening had promised: this was a place that had genuinely mattered to the people who used it. Arsaga's continues to operate other Fayetteville locations, most notably the Mill District.
Legacy and What Came Before
The Depot represents something increasingly rare in American dining: a food operation driven by genuine civic motivation as much as commercial interest. Arsaga's could have opened a standard cafe in a standard commercial space. Instead, Cary Arsaga spent a year restoring a building that was "in almost total disrepair" because he believed the result would be worth the effort for the community. It was. The building still stands, and Arsaga's retains the option to lease it again, should circumstances allow. Fayetteville waits.
The Arsaga's Legacy in Fayetteville
Arsaga's Coffee Roasters, the brand that spawned the Depot, continues to operate across multiple Fayetteville locations. The Mill District outpost carries the same ethos of quality coffee and community-minded hospitality that defined the Depot. For those who made Arsaga's at the Depot part of their Fayetteville routine, the Mill District is the most direct continuation of what the Depot represented. The roasting operation itself — Arsaga's has been roasting in-house since the early years — ensures that the coffee quality that anchored the Depot experience remains available.