Help Kidd & Co. Thrive: Support Ericka Stewart

MILESTONE AND GRATITUDE UPDATE

CURRENT TODAY

8/13/2025

3rd SUPPER SESSION PARTICIPATION

There are so many things that I wish I knew when I said yes to opening a cafe at Germantown and Mount Airy, that I previously served the community in partnership with the previous owner for a span of 2 .5 years.

When 2 Angel Investors knocked on my door and said "we want you to have it " I didnt believe it . But for 6 weeks while the transition took place , I heard and listened to my neighbors , customers of the farmers market and previous customers of the previous cafe; express the need for such an asset in our community.

When I prayed and strategtically planned the reopening of this cafe. I was very intentional that this new cafe would serve as a 3rd Space for the community named Kidd & Co. Carefully curating a collection of Global Melanated Artists to demonstrate our resilence in Social RealEstate. The cafe is 800 square feet and there is more than enough space for various artist to begin their journey with Kidd & Co.

Half of the shop is an art shop & gift shop with 1 of a kind selections and the other half of the shop remains a cafe with a specialty beverage menu and baked goods rotating daily.

Sip and Shop is the vibe. Buy Art + Drink Coffee

We opened our doors on January 6th of 2025. After 6 weeks of deep cleaning, renovations, paperwork, permits, certifications and so many more milestones.

Over the past 8months, I have had the opportunity to take 2077 orders that included Good Eat Dinners, Weekly Farmers Market and our House Specialty Beverage Menu.

Generating over $17,000 in net sales.

Background of Initial

"The initial GoFundme campaign was created to help support my business, Kidd & Co. Cafe, which was facing challenges including the need to replace a refrigerator and pay rent."

Ericka Stewart, often referred to as CHEF KIDD - "Philadelphia's first and only food rescue chef," is a community leader and social entrepreneur whose work is centered on serving communities, particularly those living in food deserts. These are geographic areas where residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food, often due to a lack of supermarkets or other fresh food retailers.

I have applied for the Catalyst Fund grants with The City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce. The Philadelphia Small Business Catalyst Fund is a $5 million investment designed to accelerate the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs across the city. Support includes funding and strategic guidance. Grants of up to $50,000 per business will be awarded based on demonstrated need, growth potential, and economic impact.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND KNOW OF OTHER RESOURCES FOR STARTUP BUSINESSES > please email me

PAST - 4/2025

by Ericka Stewart, Organizer

"It's with a heavy heart that I find myself here again, asking for your support to keep Kidd & Co. going and stable. We've hit another significant hurdle: our under-the-counter refrigerator, absolutely vital for our kitchen operations, has died.

Replacing it is not straightforward; we're facing the daunting possibility of having to remove a section of a wall just to get a new one installed.

This unexpected expense, on top of our already challenging \$2,400 monthly overhead, has brought us to a critical point.

Honestly, if we can't figure out how to cover this refrigerator replacement and the potential wall removal, I fear I will have to give up on the dream we've been building at Kidd & Co."

Sincerely,

Ericka Stewart Owner, Kidd & Co.

Ericka Stewart, also known as Chef Kidd, has opened a new cafe called Kidd & Co. at Germantown and Mount Airy. She sees the cafe as a "third space" for the community, combining a specialty beverage and baked goods menu with a curated art and gift shop featuring the work of Global Melanated Artists. This concept, which she calls "Sip and Shop," opened on January 6, 2025.