| Amani Café owner plans to unite cultures with one cup |
By Nickol Mora |
Published
10/19/2006
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Business
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People of all ages, races and cultures welcome
Terra Jones does not aspire to be rich. She only wants to be comfortable enough to lead a good life and pay for her 8-year-old son’s education.
The Pittsburgh native was always thinking of ways to get to that point.
 | COOL BEANS—Terra Jones is hoping her socially conscious coffee shop will help improve the way of life for workers who pick the coffee beans in underdeveloped countries.
| Sitting in church one Sunday morning, Jones heard “coffee shop” as clearly as if she were holding a conversation.
The phrase, that seemed to come out of nowhere, was an answer to what she was going to do with her life.
For months, Jones had wanted to start a business, but was unsure about what to invest in. It was not until that April day in 2005 that she knew “this was it.”
Before serious planning began, she took a trip to the Bahamas. During her stay she came across the word “amani.” Jones looked it up online and learned that it meant “peace” in Swahili.
It described the relaxed and serene atmosphere that she wanted the coffee shop to have.
With all her thoughts coming together, she began writing a business plan in July. It included everything from market and financial analyses to how she planned on being successful.
Jones had no experience in running a coffee shop, but she did have a flare for business.
With an undergrad in administration of justice from the University of Pittsburgh, the North Side resident was always focused on policy and how the law works.
She had a fellowship with the CORO Center for Civic Leadership, where “they help create business owners like myself,” Jones said. “You can get a job in any field and learn to ask the hard questions.”
She took these skills and presented her business plan to the Northside Community Development Fund on Dec. 27 of last year. They became her lender, and unlike a bank, met one-on-one about decisions concerning her business.
“This was one of the businesses they had bookmarked for the community,” Jones said. “The development fund is committed to growing the business community on the North Side. It was perfect timing for me.”
The next step was to find a location. She had purchased equipment back in April and had been keeping it in storage.
“I purchased all of my equipment from a cafe that closed in May of last year. The gentleman sold me his entire cafe for an unbelievable price.”
Included in the purchase were an espresso machine, grinders, brewers, chairs, tables, sandwich prep table, and some items free of charge.
Jones had several places in mind, but had to be based in North Side as part of her agreement with the Northside Community Development Fund. She considered East Ohio Street first because of its high visibility. However, it was too expensive.
One day, she saw a sign on a window at 507 Foreland St. After talking with the seller, she got the building. Jones rents the space “for a competitive amount.”
It is one block over from East Ohio Street and is accessible to two city-owned parking lots.
Her planning and searching came together to create Amani International Coffeehouse and Café.
For Jones, business is not all about money. “There are not many women-owned businesses, and even less African-American businesses,” she said. “Small businesses make the world go round. It is about empowering individuals to do more for themselves.”
She follows her own advice by selling fair trade coffee, meaning the distributor buys the coffee full price. This process gives the workers who pick the coffee “an opportunity to live and feed their families.”
It works as part of her motto—”uniting cultures with one cup.”
Her goal is for Amani to be inviting for people of all ages, races and cultures. She hopes adding a warm interior design will help accomplish that vision.
In coalition with Elizabeth Hassler from The Sprout Fund, a non-profit organization that supports projects bringing change to Pittsburgh, they have picked out a color scheme of yellows, plums, peppers and salsa to stay true to the theme of “amani.”
Poetry readings, jazz sessions and an ongoing art exhibit will be part of the coffeehouse and café to emphasize Jones’ idea that “art revitalizes businesses.” A collection “Great American Cities” will also be the first of many photography exhibits.
“It is not about the coffee. It is about the experience,” Jones said. “I want people to sense the whole cultural feel.”
Along with coffee, people can also stop in for soups, salads, smoothies, Italian sodas, water and much more.
Amani International Coffeehouse and Café will open by the third week in October and have its grand opening on Oct. 27.
In two years time, she hopes to open another location in a more accessible area.
Jones said the whole process has been as “smooth as butter,” and her aspirations of living a comfortable life are now based on something tangible.
“I feel like everything happened in a supernatural way,” she said. “I know this project is meant to be.”
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