Memphis-based social experiment and coffee company Cxffeeblack has recently been honored as the Global Notable Roaster of the Year by Sprudge Media Network, a renowned international authority on coffee and its culture. In response to this accolade, the company is undergoing a significant transition, closing its current brick-and-mortar establishment, the Anti Gentrification Cxffee Club.
However, coffee enthusiasts need not fret, as a new flagship café, Cxffeeblack, is currently in the works at 3386 Bowen Ave. This new location, just a short stroll from the original, will serve as the company’s global headquarters.
With Cxffeeblack, co-owners and spouses Bartholomew Jones and Renata Henderson aim to “reinstate the origin, purpose, and integrity of coffee through the knowledge of its Black history and by being a part of its Black future.”
The inaugural space at 761 National St will cease to operate as a coffee destination and will instead be transformed into “a digital curriculum and certification for individuals worldwide interested in adopting [Cxffeeblack’s] ideology and framework within their communities.” Jones envisions this shift as a means for Cxffeeblack to establish a network of communities that draw from indigenous perspectives, adapting and applying them to areas at risk or beyond the traditional coffee sphere.
Looking ahead to the forthcoming café, Jones and Henderson anticipate an opening in late summer or early fall of 2024, contingent upon the success of Cxffeeblack’s Capital-Raised Investor Campaign. Remarkably, the campaign has already garnered close to $60,000 in less than 72 hours, with 76 community members making investments. Investors will receive future equity in the company and a share of its profits each quarter.
The new space will maintain favorite menu items from the original café while also enabling the duo to introduce new, innovative food offerings. This will be further enhanced if they meet their investor target, which would allow them to incorporate a partial kitchen. Patrons can expect traditional café favorites such as single-origin coffees, pour-overs, and espresso, complemented by baked goods from Sift as well as vegan options from 350 Baked, both black-owned local bakeries.
To support Cxffeeblack and contribute to their vision, interested parties can visit their Investor Campaign and direct any inquiries to [email protected].
