When Meriyem’s opened its doors on Northampton’s Main Street this summer, it was the product of a long time dream and months of diligent work. Inspired by the resilient and resourceful spirit of her mother Meriyem, Rania Yetts and her husband Caleb created a beautiful, welcoming cafe and wove themselves into the fabric of the Northampton community.

In a short time, they made a huge impact on us all: Meriyem’s became a treasured place to sip, study, and smile. The Moroccan-inspired decor and flavors provided us with an escape from the world while staying firmly anchored in the values of the Pioneer Valley: kindness, creativity, and community care.

The dream was just beginning. Rania, Caleb, and their wonderful staff dreamed of making Meriyem’s a true community hub: serving up a full breakfast and lunch menu, hosting events, providing quiet evening hours for studying and creating, and maintaining their commitment to providing extensive gluten-free and plant-based offerings without sacrificing quality or taste.

These ambitions were cut short last week. After spending over $50,000 buying and installing kitchen equipment they had been assured was code-compliant, they found out they had been given incorrect information. Building their kitchen according to city code would take all new equipment and even more money - tens of thousands of dollars more in equipment and installation.

Heartbroken, Rania and Caleb closed the doors of the cafe that was their full-time job, their livelihood, and their biggest dream… just a few months after they opened.

We have a chance to save the cafe we love so much, but only if we act now: if we cannot raise funds to support Meriyem’s by December, they will be forced to give up their space.

Meriyem’s is not a large corporation with capital to spare. It is a small, immigrant-owned and veteran-owned business whose owners are passionate about serving the community. This passion was evident to anyone who walked through the cafe doors. Even though they had not yet had the chance to realize their full potential, the Meriyem’s family wowed us all.

Northampton should be a town dedicated to supporting small businesses. But more than anything, Northampton should be a town dedicated to showing up for our community. Meriyem’s wants to show up for us. Let’s give them a chance to.

Note: The money we hope to raise will support the installation of up-to-code kitchen equipment, as well as retaining staff and covering any remaining code-related issues. If the necessary amount is not raised, the funds will be split evenly between helping the Yetts family recover and aiding with Earthquake recovery efforts in Morocco. If requested, we will refund your donation.