Pastor Carl Johnson thought of the idea for Free Coffee Tuesdays during the winter of 2020, when his East Side St. Paul business was quiet and empty.

“We have to be innovative and creative to reach our customers,” Johnson said.

Housed in the G.W. Carver Cultural Center for Innovation at 781 E. Seventh St., Storehouse Grocers and Coffee is the first thing seen when entering through the Cultural Center doors. The coffee bar occupies a corner with its chocolate muffins, coffee beans and merchandise. Multiple round tables create a great space for co-working, meetings and for those seeking a cozy atmosphere near city life.

The city of St. Paul recently presented Storehouse Grocers with one of its annual St. Paul Business Awards, honoring it with the Good Neighbor Award for showing “dedication to improving the community.”

Storehouse Grocers and Coffee is in the center of a cultural hub, walking distance from La Michoacana Purepecha and the Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center.

Free Coffee Tuesday has been scaled back now (you need to get on the mailing list) but Safe Harbor case manager Rebecca Engebretson is still a Tuesday regular. She sets up shop every week to be available to youth who need case management services and resources.

She also drops in just for the coffee.

“I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I could drink this every day,” Engebretson said. “I’ve been in sometimes two, three times a week just to get coffee or work from here because I like it so much.”

Church, cultural center, coffee shop

Storehouse Grocers and Coffee is located in the G.W. Carver Cultural Center on East Seventh Street. (Devanie Andre / Pioneer Press)

Johnson moved to Minnesota from St. Louis in 2016 to start a faith community in St. Paul. He opened Faith City Church with a focus on ending food insecurity in the neighborhood, which prompted him to serve community meals and open up Storehouse Grocers and Coffee.

Profits from purchases at Storehouse Coffee go toward Johnson’s summer meals program, “helping feed those in need,” according to the website.

“That’s what brought us here, and we haven’t left,” Johnson said.

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Johnson hopes to open five Storehouse Coffee locations next year in St. Paul.

Johnson calls coffee empowering because it’s “the job that travels.” He said coffee can create jobs and spur economies. And if a person knows how to make good coffee, they can do it anywhere in the world – which is what he hopes for his baristas and fellows.

He said Storehouse Coffee values sustainability and partners with local farmers who use their coffee grounds to balance out soil from toxic runoff. Their team plans to create composts for neighborhood use and compost their own leftover coffee. Storehouse also encourages people to bring in their own reusable cups.

“Coffee can actually be zero waste,” Johnson said.

Fellowship program

A lot of communities love coffee, including Black communities in Minnesota, Johnson said. Johnson said he’s noticed a lack of safe spaces in St. Paul, especially for Black and BIPOC communities. His vision is to expand businesses and spaces that encourage Afro-futurism.

“We want to be able to bring specialty coffee to our communities,” Johnson said.

In January, Johnson launched the Social Kitchen Fellowship for youth to learn culinary, barista and life skills. Two graduates of the program, Natasha Cintron and Maddison Pye, both 26, now work for Storehouse Grocers and Coffee and are on track to become co-owners.

Maddison Pye, 26, started in a culinary fellowship program and now works full time at Storehouse Coffee. (Devanie Andre / Pioneer Press)

“I think that what he’s trying to do is very big,” Cintron said. “There aren’t a lot of businesses over here that are specifically focused on helping the community, making sure everybody eats and gives their proceeds.”

Johnson’s goal is to expand the model of worker-owned, safe, innovative, sustainable, Black-owned specialty coffee in St. Paul. He said he plans to open the next Storehouse Coffee in St. Paul’s North End and is scouting other locations across the city.

“We don’t want bitter coffee, we want good coffee and we’ll pay for it,” Johnson said, pointing to other local Black-owned coffee shops. “I mean that’s what we’ve seen through the Get Down, Flava and Storehouse, we just need more of it.”

As a Black business owner, Johnson said he’s experienced challenges and being a business owner is one of the most difficult things he’s done. What helps a business thrive is longevity, he said, which is what he hopes to continue building with Storehouse Grocers and Coffee.

“Black-owned, women-owned, we want to make sure that it crosses barriers,” Johnson said.

St. Paul Business Awards

Additional 2024 St. Paul Business Awards winners include:

Flava Cafe (623 W. University Ave.) won the Alice O’Brien Award, which honors a women-owned business that is committed to equality and empowerment.
The Curl District (647 S. Smith Ave.) received the New Kid on the Block Award, which honors a business that has opened in St. Paul within the last five years.
Tiffany’s Sports Lounge (2051 Ford Parkway, #1932) won the Traditions Award, which honors a business active in St. Paul for at least 20 years.
Willie’s American Guitars (1381 N. Eustis St.) received the People’s Choice Award, which honors a business that is recognized for its excellence by St. Paul residents.

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