Support Shannon's Dream of Owning Julie's

As many of you already know, my name is Shannon and I have been cooking for Alameda more than a decade now. For as long as I can remember, food and community have always gone hand in hand - it was what led me to pursue creating my own catering company, Shannon Cooks, in 2016. Since then, I have grown and done so much.

I am grateful that my journey led to Julie's Coffee & Tea Garden on Park Street. It was here that I truly found belonging in a space that shared so many of my own values in unique and thoughtful ways. There I have been able to hone many of my kitchen skills, learned to source quality organic ingredients both locally and globally, and have connected to so many wonderful individuals - staff and customers alike!

At a certain point, it became clear that Shannon Cooks and Julie's had become hopelessly tangled. I could no longer see where one ended and the other began. And so much of what brought us joy in what we did was this entanglement and collaboration that neither of us felt a need to separate. I am so honored and privileged to work for, and beside a woman who is strong, and kind. Powerful, and graceful. Wise and whimsical. Julie has taught me so much, and with her guidance I have flourished as both a chef and a manager.

Now I have been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy the business and carry on the legacy of Julie’s. After 20 years of hard work and dedication, Julie is ready to retire and pass the torch. The thing is - I can’t do it alone.

The costs of purchasing a business, going through permitting and licensing, staffing, setting up new accounts with vendors etc really add up, so I am asking the community for help to make this transition smooth and successful. Your donations will make sure that I am able to make the monthly mortgage & rent payments without having to raise prices, cut staff hours, or sacrifice the quality of products you have all come to know and love.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. It would mean the world to me if you would consider making a donation and/or sharing this to help spread the word. I am so excited for this next chapter in my life and for Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden.

Thank you,

Shannon

ps. No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe

Update:

Hello again, I just wanted to share an update and let you know that I am currently in contract to purchase Julie’s. (YAY!!) I will be taking out a loan to cover the costs of purchasing the business, so I am not solely reliant upon donations & crowdfunding - I want to assure you all that I AM buying Julie’s, regardless of if I reach my fundraising goal or not. The funds I raise here will go directly towards costs of transferring ownership of the business (this includes inspections, licenses, etc as well as required upgrades to open). I also hope to make other upgrades that aren’t mandatory, but that would be greatly beneficial to the space & staff’s ability to work efficiently. My hope is to also be able to pay off a portion of the loan to help relieve the extreme pressure new business owners find themselves under. I want to avoid having to raise prices to ensure I am able to pay the bills, or agreeing to take on too much and overextending ourselves with events to keep money coming in. Being funded will also ensure that I have room to continue Julie’s work of giving back to the community. My motto from Shannon Cooks will carry on at Julie’s and I will continue doing things 100% straight from the heart. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this and for all of the words of encouragement, shares, and donations. I am so grateful to all of you.