A Diverse and Inclusive Coffee Experience
Coffee enthusiast, Arick Davis, found his passion for people and creating change at a young age. Born and raised in West Michigan, he desired a space where anyone from his community could walk in for a sip of coffee, feel welcomed and have a great experience.
Arick remembers the joy he felt drinking coffee with his grandmother as a child. It was a peaceful time where he could relax and have a conversation with someone he loved. Outside of home, it was difficult to find spaces that made him feel this way.
Even as an adult, Arick struggled to find local businesses with good coffee and a welcoming environment.
“I found myself visiting cafes around town and not liking the drinks or feeling comfortable,” Arick said. “I wanted to make coffee in a space that my friends and I were genuinely excited to try.”
Today, Arick and his wife, Sarah, are the owners of Last Mile Café, a Black- and woman-owned coffee business driven by sustainability and partnering with others who have clear plans to improve the health and well-being of the community.
More than a coffee brand
For years, Arick recalled walking past an abandoned building at 1006 Hall St. SE in Grand Rapids. The windows and doors were boarded up, but he always saw the potential.
Although it was not available to purchase, Arick and his wife worked with the owner to renovate the building and launched their retail café on Dec. 4, 2022.
“I was very intentional about getting into that building because kids from my community needed to see someone like them opening a business in the community where they are from,” Arick said. “I want them to know they can do it too.”
Last Mile Café offers an exceptional in-person experience and inclusive setting where everyone is welcome to learn about their coffee, sustainability and how to build a stronger community.
For Arick, educating the community starts with educating his own team on inclusion practices and discussing their personal and professional goals.
“The majority of our employees are young, so it’s important they carry out our core values, acceptance and authenticity. I want our employees to understand how to respect customers and feel comfortable being themselves at work,” Arick said.
Brewing a sustainable future
Through each step of their production process, Last Mile Café evaluates and seeks opportunities to be more eco-friendly.
One year after opening, the coffee business earned a B-Corp Certification by the non-profit B Lab in recognition of their social and environmental sustainability practices. They also received the 2023 Young Innovator Award from the Michigan State University Product Center for their innovation in charitable giving and commitment to sustainability.
The café is committed to donating 10% of all their revenue to charities or causes selected by their own customers. A few causes they currently contribute to are environmental justice, clean drinking water, criminal justice reform and at-risk youth.
In addition to using ethically and sustainably sourced coffee beans, their coffee bags are made with compostable packaging and shipping materials to help reduce waste, and minimize contribution to climate change and the use of fossil fuel and mineral resources.
Impact on community
Arick has a huge heart for his community and loves interacting with people. A change agent in the coffee industry, he said it is important to discover ways to connect with youth and expose them to new opportunities.
“The coffee roaster at Last Mile Café allows customers to watch our professionals roast coffee on site and it was really cool because kids from the community had never seen how coffee was made,” Arick said. “The attraction also meant fresh coffee and an opportunity to save on resources.”
Last Mile Café also takes pride in hosting video game competitions in the summer and baking competitions for organizations like Jack and Jill of America, Inc., whose purpose is to stimulate the growth and development of children.
“I want kids to feel comfortable and to know they have an inclusive space in the community where they are free to come and hang out,” Arick said.
Last Mile Café will soon add an art gallery wall for local artists to share their work. They also offer free monthly coffee tastings and home brewing classes.
A reward greater than the challenge
Maintaining and improving their business model did not come easy.
“Our biggest hurdle was getting access to capital to help grow our business,” Arick said. “Acquiring approvals from banks, credit history or collateral seemed simpler for my white friends and there was always a reason we didn’t qualify.”
“The reality is you just have to keep pushing through no matter what. Just as students must continue studying for an exam, we must keep pushing to get the results we want,” Arick said.
As a recently certified Corewell Health diverse-owned, sustainable and local supplier, Last Mile Café products, which includes both Fair Trade Certified and USDA Organic coffee, will be served at Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals – Blodgett Hospital beginning May 5, 2024.