Kinship Cafe 2.0; Strawberry Hill Farewell

Sip with Intention.

Kinship Cafe started near the peak of Covid, June ‘21. This black-owned business started its own journey when founder TJ, created his own lane. Overcoming challenges on the path to opening, TJ finally began roasting his own coffee late July 22’. His signature coffee has exotic floral notes that gives brightness over bitter and smoothness over boldness. Kinships next step is raising $50,000 to relocate into 2 coffee shop locations: both in KCMO and KCK!

At the age of 10, Kinship's founder, TJ played the drums for his dad’s church. The worship team would always pound a pot of coffee during practice before church. As the PK (Preacher’s Kid), he always showed up first and it wasn’t long before he was the one putting Folger’s into an old 80’s retro BUNN brewer. Looking back at those moments, seeing all sorts of people from different backgrounds and careers, convinced him that coffee had a very communal quality about it.

Later, after graduating as the first African American Male from his high school and as a student-athlete at Kansas State University, TJ’s curiosity for coffee came back. He noticed that he saw no black people as consumers, no black people as baristas, none in the art, the decor, the influence of food or ingredients, JUST COFFEE! He would eventually create his own path, and start Kinship Cafe in 21’.

Dedicated to the community, Kinship admires, uplifts and encourages black collaboration. Networking with other BIPOC business owners to highlight and recognize others, TJ focuses on circulating the dollar through the black community. As the only black-owned specialty coffee shop owner in Kansas City, he finds it incredibly important to carry deep values and understanding with all of the coffee farms he uses. His coffee comes from exotic countries like Kenya, Nicaragua, Guatemala and are sourced from black-equity owned farmers. We then use local black transportation to receive the coffee at our black-owned & operated roasting facility!

Located in the historic Strawberry Hill of KCK, you will find a quaint cafe with a big punch of flava. Kinship brings generations together through great coffee and its next phase of evolution is expanding the values and “GOOD VIBES ONLY” attitude all across the metro in Kansas City! When TJ raises $50,000, he will buy new equipment, add staff, and increase inventory for new products to bring the taste of kindness to more people! Your support is appreciated because it allows us to continue to bring the community together over a cup of coffee just in bigger ways bringing more value and equity for BIPOC people in the specialty Coffee space. You are supporting a coffee movement that is sought out to go worldwide with “Good Vibes Only” and Hella Good Coffee!