A Coffee Pop-Up Serves Top Quality Brews for Downtown's Skid Row Residents

Skid Row Coffee is a neighborhood pop up coffee stand that roams throughout the 50-block downtown area that is Skid Row. But there is more to this pop-up coffee stand than slinging coffee on a sliding scale. Skid Row Coffee provides a job training program for LA’s low-income residents, caters private events, and plans to be a brick and mortar storefront in 2018.

First reported by LAist, Co-founder Danny Park started Skid Row Coffee to offer a “dignified coffee shop experience,” for those in the neighborhood. The wandering stand ventures throughout Skid Row, and can typically be found at the Lamp Community Arts Program, L.A. Community Action Network, Gladys Park, San Julian Park, or the Skid Row History Museum on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Established in 2016, Skid Row Coffee operates on coffee beans donated by the Culver City roaster Bar Nine.

At a time when any mention of coffee sparks the beginnings of gentrification, Park’s approach is different, by catering to those within Skid Row community. Skid Row Coffee also caters private events, including one for Facebook. Park works with other community-minded organizations, the City of Los Angeles, and Black Lives Matter. Also a graphic designer, Parks created Skid Row Coffee’s paper cups with a distinct “Black Lives Matter” printed on them.

All coffee sales go right back into the Skid Row community, towards residents transitioning from homelessness into housing.

Skid Row Coffee
Downtown Los Angeles

• This Pop-Up Coffee Cart Serves Free And Sliding-Scale Coffee On Skid Row [LAist]