Growing up in the Frogtown neighborhood of Saint Paul, co-founder Cayden Black found refuge in local coffee shops. Home wasn't always the ideal place to study, so coffee shops became a space where he could focus, dream, and imagine a different future. Those quiet hours shaped more than his education; they planted the seed for what would eventually become this cooperative.

After earning a degree in accounting and working in the corporate world, Cayden discovered his passion wasn't in climbing the corporate ladder it was in helping people build something of their own. While working with small businesses, he noticed a common pattern: many businesses didn't fail because they lacked great ideas. They failed because they lacked the right team and support.

That realization became the foundation of our mission.

Coffee is one of the world's most resilient industries, but more importantly, coffee shops have always been gathering places. They are spaces where people learn, create, organize, celebrate culture, and build community. We believe a coffee shop can be much more than a place to grab a drink it can be a place where ownership, opportunity, and creativity become accessible to everyone.

Cayden partnered with Sumer, a founding owner whose background in marketing and community organizing helped build one of Minnesota's most respected creative collectives through years of work with Ozone Creations. Her experience bringing people together, growing brands, and building authentic community became a vital part of our vision. Joining them is Samara, a worker-owner whose passion for baking has always brought people together. Known for sharing her homemade baked goods at community events simply because she loves creating for others, Samara brings artistry, warmth, and hospitality into everything we serve.

Completing the  team is Drenaia, a worker owner and experienced barista whose years in specialty coffee, welcoming personality, and commitment to community make every guest feel at home. Her creativity and deep understanding of coffee culture help shape the experience we strive to create every day.

Together, co-founders Cayden and Sumer created a worker-owned cooperative because they believe the people who build a business should have the opportunity to own it. As our team grows, eligible employees will have the chance to become member-owners, creating a business that invests back into the people who make it possible.

This vision became reality through the support of organizations that believe in community ownership. The Northstar Fellowship equipped us with the knowledge to successfully launch and operate a worker-owned cooperative, while Nexus Community Partners' Local Fund and the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) provided critical support that helped transform our vision into a real business.

We're not just opening a coffee shop. We're creating a place where entrepreneurship is shared, creativity is celebrated, and community ownership is possible.

Every cup we serve is an investment in people.