A Black-owned coffee shop in Pennsylvania is finding new ways to run its business after receiving support from locals to keep the unique, community-minded space operational amid challenges persisting from the coronavirus pandemic.

In April 2005, shop owner Blew Kind first opened Franny Lou’s Porch in Philadephia, Pennsylvania, with a “radical mission” of love and appreciation for the community. Prior to the pandemic, the coffee house was entering a busy season where catering and in-store sales were booming. It also was able to host artists and provide a space for community artisans to sell their products, Kind told local news radio station News Radio KYW.

Once the pandemic took hold of the country last March, Franny Lou’s team realized that they would need to adjust quickly to keep the business open.

“We lost a week’s worth of food because it happened so quickly,” Kind said. “It was not being sold at the rate we were selling. We lost four to five thousand dollars just in wholesale catering orders.”

With the coffee shop scrambling to adjust its business model, Chantelle Todman joined on as a co-owner of Franny Lou’s, inspired by the shop’s community ties and dedication to its patrons.

Shortly after Todman joined the team, Kind closed the doors of the coffee shop and focused on window-side to-go orders. With the help of staff and family, Kind opened up the shop to customers in a way she expects will revolutionize customer interactions in the future.

“I was so happy afterward that it was exactly what I saw in my mind,” she said. “We definitely had a loss, and I sat with it. But we’re starting a new chapter and going in a different direction, and I think we’ll be strong coming out of this.”

Franny Lou’s all-Black women leadership team of Kind, Todman and Ashley Hurston then worked to establish ownership of the property where the shop was located to secure its long-term survival.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘we have to make a move and try to buy this building,’” Todman said.

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The group applied for grants, accepting one for $20,000, but Kind didn’t meet the criteria to apply for federal funding to help with the shop’s expenses, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. In an effort to keep as many of her workers as possible employed, Kind said she cut hours at the cafe and started a GoFundMe drive for her remaining 10 employees.

"In the first part of the COVID [outbreak] and protests, we were gifted double what we asked to provide for our crew and losses," she said, explaining that their GoFundMe surpassed the initial goal of $53,000 within two weeks. "We were able to raise over $60,000. It's a reminder that what we are doing is more than a coffee and tea house. We are an intentional place that brings light. I'm happy that GoFundMe exists to be a trusted platform offering an avenue of communal connection and support."

The group of Black women was able to surpass their goal on GoFundMe, fundraising more than $86,000, KYW reported. Kind said she feels honored that her shop can inspire a sense of connectivity among members of the community, and hopes that business can continue to uplift people during hard times.

"The world is getting more isolated and detached. However, we need each other to be healthy. My concern isn’t as much for the business, rather than the culture the world has been taking," she said. "As a business, we are here to keep being a light of hope and connection."

Kind said Franny Lou’s Porch, named for journalist Frances EW Harper and social activist Fannie Lou Hamer, thrives on respecting the community that has helped it grow for more than 15 years.

"Trust in your community, make adjustments to your business to ensure that your community is loved on, so they will love on you in return,” she said.

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