"One of the best coffee shops in Los Angeles that led a renaissance of similar Black-owned spots across the region, Sip & Sonder will permanently close its flagship location in downtown Inglewood on Wednesday. Founded in 2018 by Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas, the spacious, sun-lit coffee house became an essential community gathering space, serving house-roasted espresso in brews that center Black culture, like the Cardi Rose latte that's named after hip-hop artist Cardi B."
"The closure was announced in an Instagram post on Friday, with locals taking to the comments to mourn the loss of the beloved neighborhood coffee shop. "I wrote half of my dissertation here during my doctorate program," one person posted. Someone else shared, "When I was homeless I came here to do job applications on my laptop every day. Sometimes I had money for coffee, sometimes I didn't, but I did my Zoom interview here and got my job.""
Sip & Sonder opened in 2018 in downtown Inglewood and was founded by Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas. The coffee house served house-roasted espresso and specialty brews that centered Black culture, including the Cardi Rose latte named after Cardi B. The space hosted artist residencies, coffee education workshops, pitch competitions for Black entrepreneurs and jazz nights that attracted legendary musicians. Rising rent and labor costs forced permanent closure of the flagship location. Locals shared stories of studying, finding work and finding refuge at the shop. The owners plan to evolve the brand and maintain a presence in South L.A.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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