Sisters highlight Twin Cities coffee shops with Sip Scouter program
ST. PAUL — Between the beans and the brew at Flava Coffee and Café, there's something bigger happening.
"It has been a whirlwind," Hannah Gomes said.
Hannah and her sister, Rebekah, have spent some big moments at Flava. Sometimes reading, writing and recently, planning a trip to Italy.
"These littler places that are just their neighborhood coffee shops, sometimes they don't always make it on the map for the coffee community," Hannah said.
Working in the natural/organic grocery industry, Hannah began looking for more opportunities to support independently-owned businesses. It was that passion — and love for the coffee community — that led her and Rebekah, a six-year veteran barista, to create Sip Scouter.
It's a partnership with local cafes allowing Twin Cities goers to explore, sip and savor. The booklet launched in December and went live in 15 coffee shops at the start of the new year. Coffee lovers simply bring their booklet into participating shops and get a free coffee.
"You visit, you get your booklet signed or stamped by the coffee shop and you get your free coffee drink," Hannah said.
The booklet includes Abogados Café, Carma Coffee, Curioso Coffee Bar, Disco Death Records & Coffee, Duet Coffee & Wine Bar, Flava Coffee and Café, Ginkgo Coffeehouse, Isles Bun & Coffee, Loons Coffee, Lost Fox, Rafiki Coffee and Café, Rustica Bakery, Up Café & Coffee Roasters, Wesley Andrews Coffee & Tea and Yellowbird Coffee Bar.
"It makes it really easy to get people out into the community, in these places, in these unique spots that make our community so special," Hannah said.
"I think it's just so nice to be able to live in your community and support your community," Rebekah added.
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Of the 15 shops included in Sip Scouter, each one is local and independently owned. Flava Coffee and Café was the first to sign on as a partner.
"It not only helps them increase our outreach and marketing and things like that, but also it helps our community members learn about the new places and spaces," founder and CEO of Flava Shaunie Grigsby said.
On top of brewing beans, Flava is a social enterprise community café working to support the personal development of young women and gender expansive youth through mentorship and work programs.
"Having adults who care about you and are actually interested and invested in your journey is important," Grigsby said. "Especially as you are moving into this more independent stage of your life."
It's shops like Flava that keep the Gomes sisters going.
"Some of these shops and their owners go so above and beyond just owning a business," Hannah said.
In fact, the work cafes are doing beyond the brew is a top attribute the sisters seek out. Each shop included in the booklet is either family, women, BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ owned.
"We were kind of picky with our process," Hannah said. "It's been great. We were like if we could sell 100 booklets, we'll meet costs and we'll call that success."
So far they've doubled that goal — and they're just getting started. The sisters are already planning for 2025.
"It's beautiful to see the simple thing of ground beans turn into this connection point for so many people," Rebekah said.
The Sip Scouter booklet can be purchased online for $20.