MOBILE, Ala. — Great Day Latte marked two years in downtown Mobile on Sunday, Oct. 4, with a 2nd anniversary block party called “Another Year, More Love,” filling the coffee shop at 10 S. Conception St. with music, dancing, food and spoken-word poetry.
The celebration ran from 2 to 6 p.m., with community organization UpLift Mobile serving as the official partner for the anniversary event.
A shop built around community
Owner Kimberly Knight has said from the start that Great Day Latte was meant to fill a gap. Speaking at the shop’s original ribbon-cutting, Knight described the business as a place built on connection.
“Great Day Latte is a space that was created based on community… and just fellowship,” Knight said. “And it was brought upon because we did not have a space specifically created by us, so we decided to make something for us.”
The shop is described as the only Black-owned and woman-owned-and-operated coffee shop in downtown Mobile. Beyond serving coffee and other drinks every day, it has become a gathering place for local art exhibitions, civic meetings and creative events.
A block party that moved indoors
Although the anniversary was promoted as a block party, most of the action happened inside the coffee shop. Guests packed the floor and danced alongside Knight as the shop celebrated its milestone.
DJ Hot Rod handled the live music and led the crowd in a “happy 2nd year anniversary” chant for the shop. B&T Island Roots LLC served food on site, joining the celebration as a last-minute addition.
Poetry in the round
The shop floor also became the stage for a street-style poetry cypher. Rather than performing from a raised platform, poets worked with a single microphone while audience members sat and stood in a circle around them, creating an intimate, close-up setting.
Local spoken-word artists K. Marie Poetess and Alex Lofton, also known as Huggy Bear da Poet, each performed individual sets at different points in the afternoon.
A cypher — a term that grew out of hip-hop culture — is a gathering in which performers take turns sharing verses, rhymes or poetry, usually in a circle, with the audience close at hand. The format emphasizes participation and shared energy rather than a traditional performer-and-audience divide, a fitting match for a business that describes itself as built on community and fellowship.
Credit for faith, work and community
Looking back on its first two years downtown, Great Day Latte credits faith, hard work and the support of the community for carrying the business through. As the shop enters its third year, it is continuing to keep its regular hours of operation.
Background: small business and downtown Mobile
Independent coffee shops often play an outsized role in downtown districts. In addition to serving customers, they can act as informal meeting rooms, gallery spaces and community hubs, drawing foot traffic that benefits neighboring businesses. Great Day Latte’s calendar of art exhibitions, civic meetings and creative events reflects that kind of role.
Reaching a second anniversary is also a notable milestone for any small business. The first few years are widely considered the most challenging stretch for new businesses, as owners work to build a customer base, manage costs and establish a place in the community.
For Knight and the shop’s supporters, the Oct. 4 celebration was a chance to mark that milestone the way the business began — by bringing people together.
At a glance
- Business: Great Day Latte, owned by Kimberly Knight
- Location: 10 S. Conception St., downtown Mobile
- Celebration: “Another Year, More Love” 2nd anniversary block party, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2 to 6 p.m.
- Partner: UpLift Mobile
- Music: DJ Hot Rod
- Food: B&T Island Roots LLC
- Poets: K. Marie Poetess and Alex Lofton, aka Huggy Bear da Poet
