Developing a Mt Airy Gem in Philadelphia, PA

I purchased a coffee shop in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. The business is called Avenues Café (previously known as "Morina's Café" and "Tata's Café). As a Black and Indigenous Person of Color and social entrepreneur, I am excited to be part of the neighborhood and share in all the wonderful things it offers.

Avenues Café is on the corner of Germantown and Mt. Airy Avenues in one of Philly’s most diverse neighborhoods. Mt. Airy has been described as welcoming to families of all races, genders, religions, and nationalities, fiercely committed to civic engagement and social activism.

My dream has always been more than creating a local, sustainable café. It is to build a home for community conversations that ripple beyond the walls of the building. The vision is to facilitate community conversations and inspire cultural connections. I am asking you to join my vision of empowering the community as I work to build a model that could be used for many spaces to come.

We're here, and we are still growing! The journey since we welcomed our first coffee almost 3 years ago has been incredible. We have become a part of the Mt. Airy community that has welcomed and embraced us with open arms. Thank you! With much work and support from everyone, we have consistently served coffee and hosted some great events. One of the most popular ones is Last Fridays Art Shows. We help promote local artists, showcasing their work and bringing in people from near and far to come and enjoy the art in a great environment. We are working with local organizations like Mt. Airy Community Fridge & Pantry or the local Girl Scout Troop to help engage, connect with, and strengthen our local community. And all of this with the help of our wonderful Mt. Airy local staff team!

Currently, Avenues has some great projects we are working on, which include:

~DIGITAL EVENTS BOARD

~CUSTOM TABLE FOR THE CAFE

BUILT-IN ART HANGING WALL

OUTDOOR SPEAKERS

OUTDOOR SIGNAGE

Starting during the pandemic has not been easy, but we persevered and built everything from the ground up. This did, however, mean that we could not grow as easily as we could have otherwise, which is why we are looking for your extra support if you believe in our vision.

As a young and hardworking entrepreneur, I know that I must remain focused on strengthening connections to ensure my vision is successful. I invite others who believe in my vision to support a grass-roots investment that will elevate a thriving café.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out! I would love to chat.

Stay blessed!

Juston Lee Locklear