Local Baristas Bring New Life To Bed-Stuy Daily Press Cafe Space

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — Just before the holidays, regulars at Bed-Stuy staple Daily Press discovered what has become an all-too familiar sign amid the coronavirus crisis in their cafe's window — the shop would be closing down Dec. 18.

Owners from the coffee shop, which had been on Franklin Avenue for nearly 10 years, had decided based on personal and pandemic-related reasons to not renew the lease for the storefront and focus on their outpost in Ocean Hill.

But in a welcome twist, the news of a local favorite shutting down came this time with an uplifting follow-up from the baristas inside: a new cafe was on its way.

"People would come in and so many were very sad — Daily Press is a neighborhood staple," said former barista Olivia Allbee. "We were able to have the good news that, we're not leaving you, we're going to be here."

Allbee and fellow barista Ivan Arteaga say it was that sense of community that made them decide on taking over the Daily Press space.

The duo — who had worked at Daily Press for a few years while pursuing careers in music and fashion — had always joked about one day opening their own cafe. But it wasn't until they heard the cafe space they had come to love would be up for grabs that it became a serious idea.

"The possibility of it being real was kind of shoved into our face," Arteaga said. "One of the big drives for wanting to do it was that [we] got embedded into a community and felt connected to the people around here. That was the foundation for going, 'Wow, can we keep this alive?'"

The pair said they started half-seriously asking around about what steps they'd need to take to make the business happen.

Soon, a turning point came when Arteaga asked the owners of nearby restaurant Calaca, where he also worked, for some advice. Instead, they offered to join as business partners.

"That triggered the next phase," Arteaga said. "That's a big piece of why we're able to even have the confidence to do it. It's because we had the support and the knowledge-base."

That confidence also came from the fact that Allbee and Arteaga are among a growing number of new business owners who are able to find opportunity as the coronavirus crisis that started their journey winds down. They are fully cognizant of the bittersweet business landscape that got them here, Arteaga said.

"It's worth recognizing how fortunate we are in our position to be coming in at the tail end and capitalizing on what is going to be a huge unleash as things return to normal," he said. "We want to be excited about everything that’s going to happen and acknowledge that there’s a lot of pain and hardship."

The result of their journey will be a coffee-shop version of the Putnam Avenue Mexican restaurant the team plans to call Calaca Cafe.

The partnership with Calaca has made neighbors already looking forward to the new coffee shop all the more on-board, Arteaga and Allbee said.

"Once they hear about that connection…people get really excited," Arteaga said. "People seem to think it's a great idea and a great pairing."

The pairing will come with a Latin American menu made to fit the grab-and-go style of a coffee shop— with options like empanadas and tamales — while keeping a nod to the legacy of a traditional cafe like Daily Press and bringing in Allbee and Arteaga's own personal taste.

"The most fun and interesting part of this is, 'How do we blend all of the visions and ideas?'" Arteaga said. "...We know our customers, so how do we make sure they will feel both comfortable and familiar, but also delighted and invigorated by something new?"

On the coffee menu, regulars will recognize staples like the "golden milk," but find new versions of Daily Press specials like the maple latte, the duo said.

They also plan on keeping alive the tradition of offering the space for community meetings, events and performances once it is safe to do so.

Calaca Cafe hopes to open with window service within the next few weeks and is planning a full opening, including the backyard, for the springtime. They have set up a GoFundMe to help raise the money needed to renovate the interior that has so far brought in about half of the $10,000 goal.

As with the start of their journey, the support from the community is what eases their nerves as the opening grows near.

"There’s an element of unpredictability," Arteaga said. "[But] the support from the community...is a big piece of why we feel like we've got the green light."