Kensington coffee roaster feels neighborhood deserves better
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Kensington has been a neighborhood going through hard times, but the owner of a Vietnamese coffee roaster in the community feels her neighborhood deserves better.
"The feeling when you're in the cafe, like, it's vibing, You feel safe in here," Khang Nguyen, a barista, said.
Below the sidewalks of Kensington Avenue and J Street is the first and only Vietnamese coffee roaster in Philadelphia.
It's called Caphe Roasters.
Their Vietnamese coffee drinks are bold thanks to their freshly roasted Robusta beans from Vietnam.
"It yields this delicious, chocolatey, nutty and earthy profile that compliments the traditional way to brew Vietnamese coffee which is slow dripped over sweetened condensed milk," Thu Pham, the owner of Caphe Roasters, said.
But even bolder is their mission.
"It's a neighborhood that's stricken by the opioid crisis, homelessness," Pham said. "There's so many immigrants and so many families have dedicated their lives to this neighborhood. And we wanted to find a way to celebrate the Vietnamese heritage, but also create a space that literally welcomes everyone."
Pham became a pillar in Kensington after working at a local nonprofit, called 12 PLUS. It's a college and career access program that partners with under-resourced schools to help students, like Khang Nguyen.
"She inspired me a lot, like, to chase my dream and love what you do," Nguyen said. "I'm surprised! I didn't think I'd go this far!"
Pham not only offers students, like Nguyen, a safe place to work, but a portion of her proceeds go back to 12 PLUS.
For Pham, the people who call this coffee house "home" is what fills her eyes.
"I'm just remembering why I started this," Pham said.
And each cup of coffee is a burning desire for change because she feels Kensington deserves better.
"This stigma needs to be broken about this neighborhood," Pham said. "This neighborhood has a lot of potential."