Phoenix’s best coffee shops: Take a look behind the scenes
Phoenix’s coffee scene has been growing for years. A few local spots let Republic staff behind the scenes for the a close up look at their cafes.
Republic Staff
- Phoenix-based Harlem Coffee Co. is ending its in-person pop-ups after nearly three years.
- The business is shifting its focus to become a small-batch syrup brand with plans for national distribution.
- The coffee cart’s final day of service will be Sunday, April 26, inside Sauvage Wine Bar.
After nearly three years serving from a coffee cart in downtown Phoenix, Harlem Coffee Co. is shifting away from in-person pop-ups.
The end of the era was announced via an Instagram post on March 4.
The post’s caption read, “What started as a coffee cart, transformed into something bigger than we ever dreamed. Lines down the block, memorable local collaborations, colorful culture you can feel, and a community beckoning all to belong. Phoenix, you’ve shown up for Harlem in a way that built something undeniable: legacy.”
Owner Kendrick Jones told The Republic that while he recognizes it as the end of an era, this is far from the end of Harlem Coffee Co.
The brand will transition into a small batch syrup brand with plans for national distribution.
“With business shifts like this, people are going to be sad and bummed, but I want people to realize that sometimes businesses go in different directions and that endings of things can be the start of something else,” Jones said.
What’s next for Harlem Coffee Co.?
“I think the most obvious expectation of most businesses with a mobile concept is that the next decision of scaling is going to be brick and mortar. But it took me a long time to realize that the concept that I’ve already been doing has been the dream, being a pop-up inside a wine bar,” Jones said.
He’s been able to carve out a space for himself within Phoenix’s diverse coffee scene by offering unique flavors and a welcoming environment for the community to gather since he started doing popups in 2023. But while he’s thankful for his years popping up inside Sauvage Wine Bar, Jones said he feels that the brand has outgrown the space.
Over the last few months, he instead started looking inward and really thinking about where he wants to take Harlem Coffee next.
“The machine is literally on its last legs. Our cart, we’ve had that beautiful thing for years, but it’s breaking apart,” Jones said. “It’s a testament of the support and how many people we’ve served over the years, but we’ve outgrown the model for so long.”
In reflecting on his career as a barista — which dates back long before Harlem Coffee — Jones realized that his favorite part of coffee creation has always been crafting syrups.
Jones said he’s long had the idea of bottling his syrups but was hesitant to do it because he knew it would be a complicated process. But after spending time visiting his family in Louisiana last year, reliving childhood memories of watching his mother and aunts in the kitchen, the idea once again entered his head.
He started with twenty sample-size bottles as an experiment, available strictly in person at the pop-up space. That first batch sold out in just one day.
So, Jones added the bottled syrups for sale to his regular weekend rotation. He watched them sell out over and over again, even receiving emails inquiring about having them shipped to other states.
“I’ve come to realize that people love Harlem for the community, the belonging, the diverse acceptance that I think we’ve been able to create,” Jones said. “But also, I think people have come to associate Harlem with the fresh, bold, delicious flavors that I’ve put a lot of heart and soul into.”
How to purchase Harlem Coffee Co. syrups
Jones said his wish for selling his syrups is for “people to take the experience that they have had at Harlem into their homes.”
While Harlem Coffee Co. is still in its transition phase into a full-scale syrup business, Jones is offering three initial flavors for sale: organic Madagascar vanilla bean with rubbed sage and cane sugar; “Black AF” made with organic roasted black sesame seeds, salt and brown sugar; and the “Kinfolk” made with roasted hazelnuts, brown butter, nutmeg and cane sugar.
Bottled syrups are currently available to preorder for local pickup via the online form at harlemcoffee.co/small-batch-syrups.
In the coming months, Jones’ plans to expand his syrup business include adding new flavors and getting the required permits to ship nationwide.
His dream is for people all over the U.S. to enjoy the flavors of Harlem Coffee, whether it’s through other cafes using it in their drinks or coffee hobbyists stocking it in their own home kitchens.
“Harlem Coffee Co. is inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. And though that Renaissance began locally in Harlem, New York, it went on to impact the world,” Jones said. “It’s interesting, because the core and the heart of the time and movement that we have commemorated since 2023, I feel, in a way, has manifested the direction that the company is taking now.”
How to visit Harlem Coffee one last time in Phoenix
Harlem Coffee’s last day of pop-up service will be Sunday, April 26. Until then, the coffee cart is open for service from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays inside Sauvage Wine Bar.
Details: Inside Sauvage Wine Bar, 149 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix. harlemcoffee.co.
Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.
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