Something is in the works.
Going on a tour of coffee shops owned by people of color
Since ancient times, coffee has played an essential role in the daily lives of people all over the world.
“My coffee is for my folks, and this is where we come from,” she said. Powell stated that he would rather provide his people with coffee.
It’s the beverage of choice for a lot of folks before they get started on their day first thing in the morning. It is the beverage that traditionally concludes a dinner shared with friends and family, during which time people may reflect on past experiences or invent new stories to tell.
Something is brewing at a number of local coffee shops that are run by people of African descent, and it’s not just coffee; it’s ideas, it’s the place where the next community movement may be established, and it’s the place where many people begin giving back to the community.
The communities that are served by La Joy Coffee Shop, Latte Lounge, LD’s Coffee Shop, Love Bean Coffee, and Black Coffee each receive contributions from these businesses, each in their own unique way.
But before we go on this tour of coffee shops in our city that are owned by people of African descent, let’s take a quick look back at the history of coffee. To begin, it did not originate in South America or Europe as is commonly believed. It all began in Africa, more especially in the country of Ethiopia.
The National Coffee Association claims that the origin of the coffee bean can be found on the plateau of Ethiopia. According to the findings of a piece of research, an Arabian Ethiopian named Kaldi, who worked as a goat herder, discovered that his goats had greater energy after eating the berries that fell off of the coffee tree.
Following his presentation of his findings to the neighborhood monastery, he came to the conclusion that the berries would make an excellent beverage. Coffee beverages were not going away any time soon.
The good word quickly spread, and as a result, anyone who is yearning for a cup of coffee may now go to their neighborhood coffee house and partake in the beverage that has been around for a century.
Coffee House of Joy (La Joy)
8909 Lackland Rd., Overland, MO
The proprietor, LaJoy Dabney, claims that helping the local community is one of her greatest passions, but opening a coffee shop wasn’t part of her original game plan. In an effort to steer children away from delinquent behavior and provide them with a safe place to congregate, Dabney intended to build a snack shop. However, after giving it some thought, she came to the conclusion that people of all ages require a safe haven to call their own. As a result, she made the decision to launch LaJoy Coffee Shop, a coffee shop in which customers can come to unwind and spend time with the people they care about.
The proprietor of a coffee shop that caters to families claims that LaJoy’s Dirty Chai, a concoction that combines caramel macchiato with Amariyah Vanilla Caramel Latte, is the beverage that is most popular with customers.
There don’t seem to be many coffee shops in the St. Louis area that are run by people of African descent, and this is especially true for those that are run by women of African descent. Some may have encountered resistance, but not those associated with Dabney’s establishment.
According to Dabney, “I have a lot of support, and most people were delighted we opened because they wanted a local coffee shop.”
Her coffee shop is involved with the Ritenour School District and has sponsored many of the district’s events. In addition, her coffee shop is a participant in the Toys for Tots program, and she gives away turkeys around the Thanksgiving holiday. In the days leading up to the beginning of each new school year, Dabney organizes a back-to-school drive to ensure that children have access to all of the supplies they will require to begin the new academic year. At Christmastime, she gives gifts to the older residents of her town.
Latte Lounge
2190 N. Waterford Dr., Florissant, MO
24-year-old On this list, Nyshaun Harvey holds the record for being the youngest owner of a coffee shop. Next door to Harvey’s Early Childhood Center, the quaint small plaza that houses Latte Lounge can be found in the neighborhood of Florissant, which is in North County. The young businessperson got his start in the coffee industry at an impressionable age. After her father passed away, Harvey, who was only 14 years old at the time, struggled mightily with severe headaches and sadness. Even when Harvey underwent a variety of medical tests and made frequent trips to the doctor, no one was able to determine the cause of his headaches. Harvey claims that the only time she did not suffer from headaches was when she was partaking in caffeinated beverages. She was able to gain relief from her migraines and relax at the same time by getting coffee at Starbucks, which she felt to be a haven for her.
She envisions the Latte Lounge as a place where people can kick back and unwind, and she hopes to provide that for her clientele. At her coffee shop, Harvey’s spirituality plays a significant part in the community. Each cup receives a sticker displaying a verse from the Bible. She says that her clients express their gratitude by stating that the uplifting comments assist them in making it through their workdays.
According to Harvey, “It truly does make my heart happy to hear about the good experience that the customers had.”
She claims that the Ice Pearl Coffee, which contains white mocha and cream, is one of the sweetest drinks she has on the menu. This is the reason why it is her most popular beverage. The Owner’s Favorite is yet another fan-favorite option. Harvey thinks it smells like Christmas in a cup; the beverage is a Vanilla Latte made with oat milk and topped with cinnamon dust.
She feels incredibly honored to be a part of something that originated in the land that her ancestors once called home after completing barista lessons and gaining knowledge about the history of coffee beans. Harvey has gained a new perspective on the coffee industry as a result of her newly acquired information. Previously, she was aware that she enjoyed coffee and that it originated from Starbucks; however, her newfound knowledge has provided her with a fresh viewpoint.
“It’s extremely fulfilling to know what I know now, to be a part of that history, and to be the face of my coffee business,” said Harvey. “To know what I know today.”
The Coffee Shop at LD’s
3636 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO
LD’s is the only coffee shop on our list that is located north of Delmar and is owned by people of African descent. It may be found in the city of St. Louis’s north end at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Page Boulevard. It has been close to two years since the coffee shop first opened its doors. According to Leon Powell, the proprietor of the coffee shop, the atmosphere at his establishment is not like that of a typical coffee shop.
His space does not have the typical appearance of a coffee shop. The most recent rap tunes are playing on the flat-screen televisions that adorn his walls, which are of a large size. Instead of being decorated with neutral colors, it has a vibrant color scheme. Following the untimely passing of both his brother and his business partner, he had a mural created on one of the walls of his home and it was dedicated to them.
Powell, his brother, and his close buddy were the original proprietors of the coffee shop that is still owned by the family. Powell, the sole owner who is still alive, has stated that the coffee shop would always be dedicated to the memories of both his brother and his closest friend.
The three friends joked that they should create their own coffee shop because they spent nearly every morning at Starbucks grabbing some coffee and chatting with one another. The telling of a joke eventually led to the search for a building, the signing of a lease, the renovation of the space, and the opening of a coffee shop.
Powell is proud of his heritage and upbringing, despite the fact that LD’s Coffee Shop is located in the middle of the city, in an area that some people may refer to as the hood. “My coffee is for my folks, and this is where we come from,” she said. Powell stated that he would rather provide his people with coffee.
The Turtle Latte, which is made with coffee and caramel sauce, is the reason many people visit LD’s.
Coffee with a Love Bean
Despite the fact that Love Bean Coffee does not yet have a storefront of its own, the proprietor, Alyssa Hawkins, does sell the company’s coffee beans to local coffee shops.
Her experiences as an employee for mainstream coffee shops have stayed with her; she says she felt out of place, and she imagined how Black customers felt when entering those spaces. Hawkins says she saw a need for Black people to be a part of the coffee industry, and she says she saw a need for Black people to be a part of the coffee industry. She thinks that they must have had the same sense of being out of place as she experienced. She says that she imagined them feeling unvalued but having no choice but to be there because Black people didn’t have a place to call their own, an establishment that valued them where they could spend their hard-earned money. She says this because Black people didn’t have a place to call their own during that time.
Hawkins was quoted as saying, “Coffee is a crossroads, it’s where we meet.” Hawkins is quite enthusiastic about the well-known cocoa-colored coffee bean, which, according to her, offers a beverage that can be shared amongst a group and brings people together. It is a way to develop community, particularly among the African-American community at a time when so many of us were separated from one another as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her argument is that in many ways black people are similar to coffee beans, which were originally taken from Africa and distributed all over the world.
You may get your hands on some Love Bean Coffee at any of the local coffee shops in the St. Louis area. Visit the Love Bean Coffee website to place your order.
Coffee without milk
2701 Cherokee St., St. Louis, MO
Black Coffee, which is located in the Cherokee neighborhood, was opened to the community by its proprietor, Aloha Mischeaux, almost two years ago. Mischeaux asserts that her establishment is a space for people of color, particularly Black people, as well as people who are creative and people who are looking for community.
Mischeaux was one of those people who was looking for a community, a place where she could write and create music, and she came up with Black Coffee as a result of her search. Mischeaux possessed a folding table, two canisters, sugar, and a “Black Coffee” sign prior to the establishment of Black Coffee in the Luminary Gallery. She took part in events known as “pop-up shops” in order to get her coffee into the hands of the general public.
While having a cup of java, visitors to the gallery can peruse the artwork on display or peruse the books in the bookstore. Mischeaux stated that people demonstrated to him every day how much black coffee was required. “When customers come in to buy coffee, they are doing so with the goal of making a purchase.”
Mischeaux adds that civilization has gone away from the integrity of the coffee bean, and Black Coffee strives to make its coffee as basic as possible.
She stated that “It was harvested properly, it was roasted beautifully, and we did it ourselves.”
Love Bean Coffee, Killah Koffee, which is owned by a rap icon named Ghostface Killah, and Kiss Cafe, which is owned by a rap musician named Jadakiss are some of the coffee brands that are served at Black Coffee.
At Black Coffee, both people of color and people of color make the coffee they serve. The proprietor of Black Coffee suggested to the customer, “There’s a lot packed into that cup, so why not buy from your people?”
Author: STL 420 News
