A Black- and woman-owned coffee business is looking to its network to help fund the build-out and equipment purchases for its brick-and-mortar location.
Arick Davis and Sarah Laman, co-owners of Grand Rapids-based Last Mile Café, recently said they launched an Indiegogo campaign with a base goal of raising $29,000 to cover the costs of their Boston Square neighborhood café build-out, furnishings and critical equipment before they can open.
Their stretch goal is to raise $91,000, which would go toward espresso machines, grinders, a coffee roaster and installation costs, according to their fundraiser description page.
Last Mile is committed to “providing coffee in a way that is just, transparent and dedicated to finding solutions to the world’s most challenging problems,” the founders said.
The coffee startup donates 10% of its revenue to charitable causes, and customers get to choose which cause they want to support upon checkout. Donations go to four main areas: at-risk youth, environmental justice, criminal justice reform and clean drinking water.
For this campaign, the organizations that will benefit include AYA Youth Collective, West Michigan Environmental Action Council, NAACP Grand Rapids and Flint Rising.
“It means so much to have the community come out in support of our mission,” Davis said. “We have big dreams for this space and can’t wait to continue serving the community right from the neighborhood I grew up in.”
Last Mile coffee is available on the company’s website and at Fulton Street Farmers Market, South East Market and Pack Elephant.
The crowdfunding campaign runs through Black History Month, ending on March 8, International Women’s Day.
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