Cream and Sugar, Please — REFINE Magazine

By: Mia Parker

As students in college, we are not only residents of our university, but we become residents of the community around us. This applies to Temple University students especially, as North Philadelphia is an incredibly urban and residential space, and most students move into off-campus housing as soon as their sophomore year.

If there is one thing all college students can agree on, it’s our love for coffee. It’s nearly impossible to stroll down Polett Walk without seeing students with a coffee in hand. Most of these drinks come from chain restaurants on or near campus; however, now more than ever it’s important to branch off of campus and support local businesses.

Some of my favorite local coffee shops in North Philadelphia are BOLD Coffee Bar, ReAnimator Coffee, Vineyards Cafe, and Luna Cafe.

Supporting local businesses has and will always be important, but with COVID-19, small shops need our patronage more than ever. Just ask Matt Scottoline, the director of coffee buying at ReAnimator.

“I would hope that most people are seeing the importance of [supporting local] given the pandemic. COVID has sort of forced people to recognize how fragile a lot of small businesses are,” Scottoline said.

Pumpkin Spice Latte at Reanimator coffee bar. Photo Credit: Reanimator Coffee

Scottoline acknowledged the profound impact COVID-19 has had on ReAnimator. “It has affected us pretty significantly. People aren’t coming in the cafes anymore. We are only doing window service,” he added.

For BOLD Coffee Bar, operating during a pandemic is all they know.

“We opened on August 1st, 2020 (in the middle of the pandemic), so it's hard to say how COVID-19 has affected our business. We are excited to see how our business grows when the pandemic settles down and things get back to ‘normal,’” Kelly Claiborne, Partner of BOLD said.

Kelly (left) and Delesa Claiborne opened their coffee shop in the midst of the pandemic. Photo Credit: BOLD Coffee Shop

Claiborne believes that supporting local businesses is integral to the community of North Philly.

“It’s very important to support local when possible. Local businesses have a direct tie to the community. Local businesses also help to boost economic growth,” Claiborne said.

As Temple students, we need to recognize the importance of supporting our community and step off of campus for our necessities whenever possible.

Coffee is my favorite morning, afternoon, and even evening pick-me-up, and I know that it is the same for most other students. Not only will going to a local coffee shop support our community, but it will also lead to the discovery of new and exciting drinks.

Iced Toffee Nut Latte from BOLD Coffee bar. Photo Credit: Mia Parker

Considering we make up a large bulk of their customers, these cafes need the support of Temple students.

“Being located near Temple University definitely has been great for our business. We get some students and faculty members as customers,” Claiborne said.

Scottoline also agrees that being located near such a large university boosts business. “The cafe on Master St. is close enough that there are students that live up our way or even people who travel a bit to come by. I see people that look like college students coming in and I assume they come from Temple.”

Personally, I love the drinks, the atmosphere of the shops, and the good feeling I get knowing that I am supporting North Philadelphia and helping it to stay afloat during such trying times.

Next time you are on campus or near Temple, be sure to shop local. This includes going to BOLD Coffee Bar and purchasing an iced toffee nut latte, my favorite drink of all time. You will not regret it.