A Nonprofit Coffee Shop Is Coming to Wedgewood-Houston This Summer

The Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood is in for an embarrassment of caffeinated riches this year, as now not one, not two, but three coffee shops are planned to open within a block of each other before the end of summer.

The latest to announce its entry to the growing commercial area is Humphreys Street Coffee. Founded in 2008 by executive director Brian Hicks, the nonprofit, part of parent nonprofit Harvest Hands Community Development, works with the community in a variety of ways, including employing students from low-income South Nashville neighborhoods and mentoring them in the art of coffee roasting. Each year 16 teenagers are employed with the roastery, and profits from its wholesale business are rolled back into programs and scholarships that support those students.

The roastery operation first started in the basement of the now former home of Humphreys Street United Methodist Church at 424 Humphreys St. The business moved to new digs several years ago, but now things are coming full circle, as they are in the process of renovating the Wedgewood-Houston property to open their first specialty coffee shop, with a June opening as the goal.

Humphreys Street Coffee will complete a trifecta of new shops in the neighborhood, joining the freshly opened Falcon Coffee Bar and the upcoming Americano Coffee Lounge.

• Humphreys Street Coffee [Official Site]