Emergency Relief Fund for Kate Coffee

Kate Coffee is the owner, heart and soul of John Muir - one of Berlin’s finest bars and meeting point for the whole neighborhood around Görlitzer Park, on top of a favorite hangout of the Berlin electronic music community. Anyone who has ever set foot into the cozy basement of John Muir. or ever sat on the terrace facing Skalitzer Str. knows her infamous giggles and exceptional drinks, that she has been serving since 2012.

Despite being forced to shut down the business for multiple months and operate at very limited capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate received eviction notices this past week for both her home and her business, both rented to her by the same landlord in the same building, due to be enacted on September 2nd.

The pandemic has added an untenable amount of financial pressure on her beloved bar, John Muir and her ability to support herself.

This comes on top of a series of very unfortunate events surrounding Kate’s health which lead to multiple lengthy hospital stays and that also have severely impacted her quality of life and livelihood in the past months, something her landlord was well aware of. Currently she is recovering from a bone fracture in her leg, which she suffered working in the bar. Needless to say what that means for a self-employed enterpreneur facing such pressure.

It's abhorrent in the first place that any landlord would take this historically difficult economic time to send eviction notices, but even more disgusting given the fact that they are knowinglingly and willingly threaten to strip Kate from her livelihood and her housing at the same time.

On top of facing rental debt, Kate now has to take on lawyers to fight this situation which has added on an intense amount of extra financial pressure.

Even though we all go through a difficult time currently, Kate needs our urgent support - as a gastronomer and as a friend. If you have ever had a good time at John Muir, or if Kate has made you smile with her ridiculous giggles or given you one of her many free shots, or if you want to support her out of principle in this - please give as much as you can.

This is truly a desperate moment where Kate is facing homelessness and losing everything she holds dear and worked hard for. We are hoping that with the help of lawyers, there will be a cease and desist notice on the evictions which are due to be enacted on September 2nd—this is an urgent matter.

Please help if you can, no donation is too large or small.