Shaunie Grigsby builds social enterprise and culture at Flava Cafe

During undergraduate school, Shaunie Grigsby explored independent coffee shops. One place stuck with her: a shop somewhere on the north side of Atlanta with a big, comfortable red couch, games, live music and baristas who looked like her.

“I’ve never had this experience at a coffee shop,” Grigsby said.

She naturally enjoyed third spaces and the organic ways community is built in coffee shops, and over time the shop became her study and hangout spot, she said.

The Detroit native envisioned a life teaching in academia and opening a coffee shop after she retired, as a place to reconnect with her students. Grigsby earned her master’s degree in youth development leadership and worked in that field for more than 10 years.

Her coffee shop dream came much sooner. Grigsby opened Flava Cafe in St. Paul in 2022.

Her aspiration to build a community space and work with young people still became a reality. Flava Cafe is a social enterprise coffee shop that combines business with a mission to provide work experience, coaching and professional development opportunities for Black girls and gender-expansive youth.

“I think every business can be a social enterprise, but it does take intentional choice to do that, and that also, I think, means we’re not solely centering capitalism,” she said. “You’re going to make money as a for-profit business, but we also work with supporting young people.”

The cafe works with county and city programs to provide internships and sometimes part-time employment. It also offers apprenticeships for aspiring entrepreneurs in the coffee industry, along with English language learners who are entering the workforce and want to practice customer service skills.

“It’s just naturally ingrained in me to want to show up for young people because it was given to me in the same way,” Grigsby said. “I think it’s my job. It’s our job to do the same thing and to show up for our community in the ways that it’s been given to us.”

With a background in sociology and education, running a business came with a learning curve, Grigsby said.

Her initial business plan read more like a nonprofit proposal than a for-profit strategy. Because her background was rooted in youth development, aligning financial sustainability with her mission required adjusting her mindset.

Grigsby gained hands-on experience by apprenticing at local establishments, including Sammy’s Avenue Eatery and Golden Thyme Cafe, where she worked in the kitchen with Stephanie Wright and learned operational management from Mychael Wright.

She also consulted with industry advisers, took barista and coffee management classes and completed local business accelerators through the Neighborhood Development Center.

Grigsby manages day-to-day operations, emails, catering requests and event logistics. If you visit Flava Cafe, you’ll probably see her making your latte, breakfast bowl or burrito.

The menu honors prominent Black figures in music and literature, featuring items named after MC Lyte, bell hooks, Megan Thee Stallion and Barack Obama. A specialty drink named UNITY pays homage to Queen Latifah, whose character’s fictional magazine, Flavor, in the 1990s sitcom “Living Single” inspired the cafe’s name.

“I thought about what her intention was in creating that company, and I said, ‘Oh, that’s what I want to do, but in a coffee shop,’” Grigsby said. “I think from every aspect, I tried to make sure that it felt representative of Black culture and literature and music and all of the things, from the names of the items on the menu, the design, even the pictures that we have on the wall, the music that we play.”

Grigsby made the design decisions herself, thinking about how she would want a place where she spends most of her time to look and feel. She wanted it to feel like home. She also drew inspiration from her favorite shows, including the living room in “Living Single” and the den in “Moesha.”

Grigsby builds partnerships with other Black-owned businesses into her operating model. The cafe collaborates on cross-promotions with Black Garnet Books, serves as a donation collection site for the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center and offers free or low-cost event space to local groups.

“A lot of times we are operating with, you know, very minimal funds and access to capital. And so, I think it’s important for us to show up for each other in the ways that we can,” Grigsby said.

Flava Cafe hosts open-mic nights with True Art Speaks every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. It also partners with Roots and Bloom Studio to house and sell indoor plants.

“We’ve always wanted to beautify our space with plants, but I don’t have a green thumb,” Grigsby said. “Community members will come in, notice them and water them. Now, we host plants in the shop that customers can purchase, keeping our space bright while supporting another small business.”

Navigating business challenges over the past four years led Grigsby to embrace operational transparency. When financial difficulties arose, she chose to communicate openly with her team about payroll and planning.

“They all brought an idea or something to the table and were excited when donations would come through and things like that,” she said. “That took a big pressure off of me to open that up.”

Grigsby emphasizes the importance of community support, peer mentorship and practical training for aspiring entrepreneurs. She pointed to free resources available through the Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON), the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) and the Neighborhood Development Center.

“If you’re interested in the food or coffee industry, find a place to apprentice and learn both front- and back-of-house operations,” she said. “Entrepreneurship can feel isolating, so it’s essential to find a network of peers and safe spaces where you can be honest and support one another.”

For more information on Flava Cafe, visit www.flavacafe.org/.

Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@spokesman-recorder.com.

On the Radar highlights established Black-owned businesses and the people behind them. To have your business considered for a future feature, email dellis@spokesman-recorder.com.