What The Rising Popularity Of Yemeni Coffee Shops Says About Third Places – CoffeeTalk
Yemeni coffee houses, such as Qahwah House in Manhattan’s West Village, are gaining popularity as late-night social spots for young Muslims and Middle Easterners. The chain originated in the Arab-populated Detroit area and is rapidly expanding across the country, often where there are significant Middle Eastern and Muslim populations. Nineteen Qahwah House locations are open across seven states, with more under construction and expected to open this year. Another chain, Haraz, opened this month in the pricey SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan, with at least six more in the region planned in the next two years. Times Square will be home to two other chains, MOKAFÉ and Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co.
The rapid expansion of these shops underscores the demand for late-night social spots for not only young Muslims and Middle Easterners but also younger people who are looking for a non-digital third space where they can hang out without alcohol or having to yell over loud music. Malls, a traditional third place for young people, are growing more unpopular, and chains like Starbucks have become more like take-out counters. Alcohol-free lifestyles are growing even for those outside of the Muslim faith, which many practicing the religion already take part in.
Yemeni coffee houses have taken up both trends and boomed. Young people, particularly the children of immigrants who are straddling two different cultures, enjoy the fact that they are consuming something that is really kind of traditional, but in this very new, modern, contemporary context. Yemeni coffee houses come from the Middle East, where coffee isn’t a grab-and-go drink used to wake up with, but a social exchange. The practice followed into the early 20th century and across the world when the first wave of Middle Eastern immigrants came to Detroit to work in the auto industry or shipping yards. Many of the initial mosques in the area were originally established in the backs of the coffee houses.
The mission of Yemeni coffee houses is to bring everyone in one place and share history. They serve coffee in a pot, allowing people to come inside the store and share different stories.
Yemeni coffee culture is being brought to the American mainstream by contemporary chains designed by descendants of immigrants who own the coffee farms in Yemen. The first Qahwah Houses in Dearborn were airy and upscale, but they also brought with them Yemeni culture, with coffee beans imported from local farmers, artifacts from the region, and the founder’s family tree on the wall. The new generation of Yemenis in the area benefitted from the support of a more established community, including Yemeni entrepreneurs, professionals, medical professionals, and engineers who give back to their community by sponsoring younger people.
Customers are attracted to authenticity, as evidenced by Alhasbani hand mixing the ingredients for his coffee at his Michigan factory and the coffee beans still coming from Yemen farmers. There has been a lot of emphasis on being authentic and being real, especially in specialty coffee and in the entertainment space.
During the day, Yemeni coffeehouses function similar to many neighborhood spots, serving as de-facto living rooms, especially for young Muslims who don’t go to clubs and bars. From New York to Dallas, especially during the late nights of Ramadan, the crowd overflows into the street and you often have to yell to be heard inside. Some young Muslims even venture to the coffee shops in hopes of finding a life partner.
Dearborn, Michigan, home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the United States, is peppered with different Yemeni coffee houses, which helped revitalize the Detroit area after the city became the largest municipality go bankrupt in 2013. The coffee chain culture is more pronounced and celebrated in Dearborn, Michigan, where Qahwah House hopes to open another 20 to 30 locations in the next year, spanning across 12 states and Canada.
Another authentic Yemeni coffee chain, Haraz, also sees crowds of people throughout the day and night. They opened their first location in New York City last week and the franchisees plan to grow. However, growth isn’t without challenges, as Haraz directly sources its coffee from the high-altitude region in Yemen it’s named after.
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Source: Coffee Talk