Coffee has been a staple in households across the world for centuries.
“This is where we are from, my coffee for my people. I’d rather serve coffee to my people,” said Powell.
It’s the drink that many people have in the morning before they launch into their day. It’s the drink that often caps a meal with friends and family where they reminisce or create new memories to share.
Something is brewing in several local Black-owned coffee shops, and it’s more than coffee; it’s ideas, it’s where the next community movement could be created, and it’s where many begin giving back to the community.
La Joy Coffee Shop, Latte Lounge, LD’s Coffee Shop, Love Bean Coffee, and Black Coffee all contribute in their own way to the communities they serve.
But before we go on this tour of Black-owned coffee shops in our city, let’s take a crash course in the history of coffee. For starters, it did not originate in South America and Europe. It originated in Africa, more specifically Ethiopia.
According to the National Coffee Association, the coffee bean can be traced back to the Ethiopian plateau. Research shows that Kaldi, an Arabian Ethiopian and goat herder, noticed his goats were more energized after eating the berries off of the coffee tree.
After sharing his observations with the local monastery, he decided to turn the berries into a drink. Coffee drinks were here to stay.
The good news spread fast and now anyone looking for a cup of coffee can go to their local coffee house to indulge in the century-old beverage.
8909 Lackland Rd., Overland, MO
Owner, LaJoy Dabney says that she has a passion for serving the community, but serving coffee wasn’t in her original plan. Dabney had plans to open a snack shop for kids to have as a hangout to keep them out of trouble. However, through deliberation she realized that folks of all ages need a safe haven to call their own, so she decided to open LaJoy Coffee Shop, a coffee shop where visitors can come and relax, and spend time with those they love.
The family-oriented coffee shop owner says that her top-selling drink is LaJoy’s Dirty Chai which has caramel macchiato and the Amariyah Vanilla Caramel Latte.
Black-owned coffee shops in the St. Louis area seem to be far and in between, especially if they are women-led Black-owned coffee shops. Some may have experienced pushback but not Dabney’s establishment.
“I have a lot of support and most were happy we opened because they wanted a local coffee shop,” said Dabney.
Her coffee shop has partnered with the Ritenour School District and has sponsored many events, her coffee shop also participates in Toys for Tots, and she donates turkeys during Thanksgiving. For Christmas, Dabney presents gifts to the elderly in her community, and right before each new school year she has a back-to-school drive to make sure students are equipped with the materials they need to start a new school year.
2190 N. Waterford Dr., Florissant, MO
24-year-old Nyshaun Harvey is the youngest coffee shop owner on our list. Located in the Florissant community in North County, Latte Lounge sits in a quaint little plaza next door to Harvey’s early childhood center. The young entrepreneur started drinking coffee at a very young age. At just 14 years old, Harvey battled really bad migraines and depression after the death of her father. After constant medical examinations and doctor visits, no one could figure out what was triggering Harvey’s migraines. Harvey says the only time she didn’t have migraines was when she was drinking coffee. She found solace in Starbucks coffee, a place where she could get coffee to help with her migraines and relax.
That’s what she wants Latte Lounge to be for her customers – a place where folks can chill and relax. Harvey’s spirituality plays a big role at her coffee shop. Each cup gets a sticker with a Bible scripture. She says her customers thank her saying the encouraging words help them get through their work day.
“It really makes my heart happy to hear about the customers’ positive experience,” said Harvey.
Her most popular drink is the Ice Pearl Coffee which has white mocha and cream, she says it is one of the sweetest drinks she has on the menu. Another favorite is the Owner’s Favorite. It’s a Vanilla Latte drink made with oat milk and topped with cinnamon dus., Harvey says it smells like Christmas in a cup.
After taking barista classes and learning the origins of coffee beans, she feels so honored to be a part of something that came from the home of her ancestors. Before she knew that she liked coffee and that it came from Starbucks, but her newfound knowledge has given Harvey a different perspective on the coffee industry.
“To know what I know now, and to be a part of that history, and be the face behind my coffee shop is really rewarding,” said Harvey.
3636 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO
LD’s is the only Black-owned coffee shop north of Delmar on our list, located in north St. Louis city at the corner of Grand Ave. and Page Blvd. The coffee shop has been open for almost two years. Owner Leon Powell says his coffee shop offers a different type of vibe from your traditional coffee shop.
His decor isn’t that of a traditional coffee shop vibe. His walls are lined with large-sized flat-screen TVs playing the latest hits in rap. It’s bright, instead of being decorated with neutral colors. He has a mural painted on his wall that is dedicated to his brother and business partner after both experienced untimely deaths.
The family-owned coffee shop was started with Powell, his brother, and his best friend. Powell, the only surviving owner, says the coffee shop is dedicated to the memory of his brother and his best friend.
The three would go to Starbucks almost every morning to grab some coffee and hang out, jokingly they said they should open their own coffee shop. One joke led to seeking out a building, signing a lease, renovating the space, and finally opening a coffee shop.
LD’s Coffee Shop is in the heart of the city, an area that some folks might call the hood, but Powell is proud of his roots and background. “This is where we are from, my coffee for my people. I’d rather serve coffee to my people,” said Powell.
Folks come to LD’s for the Turtle Latte which has coffee and caramel sauce.
Love Bean Coffee doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar yet, however, the owner, Alyssa Hawkins supplies the coffee beans to local coffee shops.
Hawkins says she saw a need for Black people to be a part of the coffee industry, her experiences as an employee for mainstream coffee shops have stuck with her, she says she felt out of place, and she imagined how Black customers felt entering those spaces. She imagines they must have felt just as out of place as she did. She says 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.
“Coffee is a crossroads, it’s where we meet,” said Hawkins. Hawkins is passionate about the popular coco-colored coffee bean that she says provides a communal drink that brings people together. It’s a way to build community, especially in the Black community when so many of us were cut off from each other during the Covid-19 pandemic. She says in many ways Black people are like coffee beans, stolen from Africa and dispersed around the world.
Love Bean Coffee can be found at local coffee shops in the St. Louis area. To order visit Love Bean Coffee
2701 Cherokee St., St. Louis, MO
Aloha Mischeaux, the owner of Black Coffee located in the Cherokee neighborhood, opened her doors to the community almost two years ago and says her coffee shop is a space for people of color, specifically Black folks, creative folks, and people seeking community.
Mischeaux was one of those people looking for a community, a place where she could write and create music and she came up with Black Coffee. Before Black Coffee was in the Luminary Gallery, Mischeaux had a folding table, two canisters, sugar, and a “Black Coffee” sign. She participated in ‘pop-up shop’ events to get her coffee in the hands of the people.
Coffee drinkers can experience the art and the bookstore at the gallery while enjoying a cup of java. “People show me every day how much Black Coffee is needed,” said Mischeaux. “Customers are buying intentionally when they come and buy coffee.”
Black Coffee keeps its coffee simple, Mischeaux says society has gotten away from the integrity of the coffee bean.
She said, “It was harvested well, it was roasted well, and it was done by us.”
Black Coffee serves coffee by Black-owned coffee businesses, like Love Bean Coffee, Killah Koffee by rap legend Ghostface Killah, and Kiss Cafe by rap artist Jadakiss.
Black Coffee serves coffee made by Black/brown and POC. “It’s a lot in that cup, so why not buy from your people,” said the Black Coffee owner.
Editor’s note: If you recently opened a coffee shop, restaurant or other type of eatery, The St. Louis American would like to hear from you. Please send an email to areid@stlamerican.com
