Coffee Collaborative owner Stephen “Steve” McDonough passed away early last week on Feb. 26, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

He was 38 years old.

Photo courtesy of McDonough’s Facebook page.

A cause of death is pending investigation, police spokesperson Kelly Hoover said.

The shop will be “closed until further notice,” according to a sign posted to the business’s door. In the past week, flowers have also been left by the door, along with a sign with “Love” by John Lennon lyrics on it and a message stating, “Goodbye Steve.”

Evelyn Spence / Daily Nexus

Coffee Collaborative, one of the three coffee shops in Isla Vista, opened in 2010 following the closure of Java Jones.

The shop is located on 6560 Pardall Rd. and is known for its open mic nights and its eclectic collection of murals, which have featured everything from a memorial for the 2014 I.V. shooting to Doctor TJ Eckleburg’s eyes from the novel The Great Gatsby.

This article will be updated.

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Evelyn Spence
Evelyn Spence harbors a great love for em dashes and runs on nothing but iced coffee, Jolly Ranchers and breaking news. She serves as the managing editor and can be reached at evelyn@dailynexus.com, managing@dailynexus.com or at @evelynrosesc on Twitter.