The Coffee Shop Owner Calling Out Gentrification in Brooklyn – The Cut

🔍 Summary:

Rachel Nieves, the owner of Buddies Coffee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, shared a heartfelt TikTok video on February 25, revealing the challenges her business faced due to a rent increase and the opening of a competing coffee shop next door. Her emotional plea resonated widely, going viral and catching the attention of celebrity Joe Jonas, who visited and promoted the shop. This led to an outpouring of community support, particularly from the local Puerto Rican community, who showed up in large numbers to support Buddies.

Nieves, who transitioned from a career in finance to the coffee business, opened Buddies initially as a cart in 2020 with her partner Taylor Nawrocki, despite concerns about contributing to gentrification in the historically Puerto Rican neighborhood. The community, however, embraced the shop for its cultural roots and authenticity.

Despite her lack of initial knowledge about coffee, Nieves learned on the job and managed to expand her business. She and Nawrocki even secured a second location in Manhattan just before learning about the rent hike. Nieves’s story highlights her resilience and the strong community bonds that have supported her through the challenges of entrepreneurship. Her experience with Buddies Coffee has become a symbol of resistance against gentrification and the struggles small businesses face in rapidly changing urban environments.

📌 Source: http://www.thecut.com/article/how-buddies-coffee-owner-rachel-nieves-gets-it-done.html