Black Coffee Northwest

When I first moved to the state of Washington, I rented a house in Shoreline, just north of the Seattle city limits. I always thought of it as a quiet little town. I had excellent neighbors, and for the most part my memories of that time are pretty bucolic. The only reason I left the area was that I wanted to become a homeowner, and try as I might, I couldn’t afford anything nearby.

I was thrilled when I heard about a new business in that area called Black Coffee Northwest. Not because of the coffee. I don’t even drink coffee. And heaven knows you can’t sling a dead cat anywhere in the Pacific Northwest without hitting a coffee shop. So they weren’t exactly filling a product vacuum.

No. The reason I was intrigued by this business is that it serves a social purpose as well, and I always love when a business does that. This is a Black-owned business that provides work experience for Black youth in Shoreline. They sell Black-owned products. They have a lot of community meet ups including a youth outreach program. The are also the home of the Northside Step Team, Drill Team, and Drum Line. They support the Black Lives Matter movement. The drinks on their menu are also named to celebrate Black culture. What’s not to love?

I am all for supporting this business, but apparently not everyone is. In fact, this business has unintentionally exposed a really ugly, hateful side of Shoreline to the light of day. This article is a month old, but it talks about how this business has been vandalized three times. One time, Molotov cocktails were thrown at the building in an attempt to burn it down. Another time, racist images were drawn on the walls. The third time, someone smashed one of the glass doors.

I will never understand people who are so full of hate that they’re threatened by a coffee shop that is only trying to be a good and proactive member of the community. It takes a sick and twisted individual to be that evil. I hope they’re caught and that they’re thrown under the jail.

Not only is Black Coffee Northwest committed to sticking it out, but they are even planning to open a second location. I admire their courage. Courage shouldn’t be required, but they sure do have it.

If you’re ever in the Shoreline, Washington area, please visit Black Coffee Northwest and support them with your custom. As a matter of fact, they have several products that you can buy online here, so I hope you will do so. The best way to fight back against these vandals is to ensure that this business not only survives, but thrives.

Enjoying my view? Then you’ll enjoy my book! http://amzn.to/2mlPVh5