While thousands of Starbucks locations nationwide are scheduled to close Tuesday afternoon for an anti-discrimination training triggered by an incident in Philadelphia last month, there are plenty of minority- and women-owned coffee shops in Long Beach locals can support instead.
The incident involved the arrest of two black men who were sitting in a Starbucks while waiting for a friend. An employee called the cops on the pair for refusing to leave after one of them was told he could not use the business’s restroom without making a purchase. A preview of Starbucks’ training curriculum can be found here.
However, don’t let Starbucks’ temporary closure be the only reason to visit these local small businesses.
Tierra Mia
This Latin American coffeehouse opened up a Long Beach location in 2016 to lines out the door with customers no doubt craving favorites like the Horchata Frappe or Chocolate Mexicano de Guadalajara. For our write-up on the business click here.
Tierra Mia is located at 425 East Pacific Coast Highway.
Cabinet Coffee
Aiming to bring Japanese and Korean influence to downtown, Cafe Cabinet opened in October with offerings like Kyoto-style cold brew and house-made syrups. Popular drinks include the Honey Oat Latte and Iced Blackberry Mocha. Check out what we had to say about it here.
Cabinet Coffee is located at 250 West Ocean Boulevard.
Honeybee’s
Located in Belmont Heights, this spot is a one-stop shop opened in 2016 by husband-and-wife duo Jackson and Mareni Khem. Grab a sandwich, milk or fruit tea, Vietnamese iced coffee or even ask for something not on the menu—all you have to do is ask, according to the couple. Read our review here.
Honeybee’s is located at 301 Loma Avenue.
Berlin Bistro
This small coffeehouse is located in the East Village, the heart of the city’s art scene, and is a great choice for those wanting to support sustainable efforts locally. German-born owner Kerstin Kansteiner, who also owns Portfolio Coffeehouse (another must-try), has been making environmental waves in her endeavors. She recently partnered up to bring a #nostrawchallenge to the city in an effort to reduce straw pollution.
Berlin Bistro is located at 420 East Fourth Street.
Wide Eyes Open Palms
This queer-owned business offers a full espresso menu, pastries and a farmers market-centered brunch.. Run by dynamic duo Angie Evans and Kat McIver, WEOP started out as a pop-up at local farmers markets and has since found a permanent home right off 4th Street’s Retro Row. Read more about the business here.
Wide Eyes Open Palms is located at 416 Cherry Avenue.