Sunday, January 4, 2009

Kahawa House Coffee Needs Your Support

A reader writes in:

Hey UU,
I was wondering if you can do a post to try and drum up some business for Kahawa House Coffee at 838 W. Montrose. Ajay (the owner) says business has slowed considerably and he's trying to get all the neighborhood support he can get. While the economy is obviously in a recession, everyone can stop by and grab a drink one night this week to try and help out a wonderful Uptown business. It would be a shame to have it falter -- our community is much better with them in it. Also, and especially helpful in this economy, is their book exchange -- great titles available, and all you have to do is drop off one of your own. Also, they are having a "Kahawa Espression Night" on January 15th at 6:30pm. It has been a great success the last few times, and it promises to be a good time.

8 comments:

  1. I try to go there once a week and love the down to earth vibe there. I hear they have open mic now too--gotta check it out!

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  2. This is a perfect opportunity for the block clubs to highlight local businesses. Clarenden Park, Graceland Wilson, Buena Park and Truman Square are the closest.

    Is there an on-line menu to send?

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  3. All the local businesses could use support.

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  4. this is a truelly wonderful place. i try to go there as much as i can to put in my two cents. but honestly, my 2dollar cup of coffee is not enough to keep the place open. it would be sad to see this place fall victim to the hard economic times. this is the kind of place we need to keep open in uptown. whatever it takes people, go get some coffee...lol

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  5. what are their hours? it's not super close to my house, but i may venture out.

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  6. so i stopped there last night at 7:30 and they were closed, but the door said that they were open until 9. Have they shut down?

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  7. Do they sell beans? I mostly brew at home since dragging kids to a coffee house is...well...a drag!

    On another note, I was out for some dinner and shopping on the Southport Corridor recently and noticed a sign on one of the doors about the neighborhood needing to band together and support local businesses. It noted that some stores have closed and encouraged residents to spend at least $100 locally to help that retail corridor.

    I have a love/hate relationship with Southport. I love it in that I can conduct a variety of commercial activities in one stop (a trip to Kinkos/bite to eat/shopping) but every time I do it makes me so angry about Uptown. I'd much rather be doing it here! Smith's portion of Broadway and the WAMA area are the only spots where I can conduct multiple types of commercial activities. Otherwise, it is a stop to Aldi or Jewel or Unique Thrift, etc., in isolation. I hate that as well as the walking distance between commercial centers(often unsafe or unrealistic with a stroller or a kid in tow---see the Graceland Cemetery post!!)

    I wish the Uptown Chamber would take these kinds of concerns more seriously and get the community involved to create some solutions. Whether you've got a lot of money to spend or not, we're all in the same boat with regard to pedestrian-friendly commerce. I live in a city and I'd like to get out of my car and spend more locally because local businesses are a great asset to any thriving community. Lincoln Park has gotten enough of my money over the years.

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  8. Yes, Kahawa House needs your help!

    I'm Zen, the host of both the Thursday night 7PM open mic and the Sunday 4-7PM jamboree. Kahawa House is not just a place to get great coffee and share the warm and open vibe. It's a place that is recreating the same kind of artistic vibe of historic coffee houses where various artists influenced each other before they became influential icons.

    I've been the host of the open mic for months now. I've seen all manner of talent come in to perform. I can make this prediction with great confidence: If Kahawa is supported it will be known as an incubator for outstanding artists. It's already becoming one. For that reason alone people must support it. Support Kahawa House and you're supporting the arts.

    One young artist who is often playing music at Kahawa is soon releasing a CD. His music is already being played in Kenya. Come see him and many other up-and-comers perform while you eat great sandwiches and sip on a Barack O'Caramel.

    Also, if you feel as I do about the need for this place to survive, then please come by Kahawa and talk to me and our resident photographer so that we can put you in an article we're writing about Kahawa House. We'd love to know what you love about it and how you see it accentuating the mega-diverse Uptown neighborhood!

    Contact me at presentpeace43@yahoo.com.

    Much love to you,
    Zen

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