A local coffee shop can be so much more than just a place to grab and go. With a cozy atmosphere and comfy chairs, it’s a perfect spot to relax, meet with friends or even do some work. And when the shop owners help support the local as well as the international community, it’s a place you want to return to again and again.
Black Crow Coffee is such a place. Owners Deana Hawk and Greg Bauman moved to St. Pete around the same time, 33 years ago. Hawk is from Seattle and Bauman from Toronto, both coffee-loving cities. Bauman has owned Indian Shores Coffee for 16 years. Together, they opened Black Crow in 2015 after Hawk happened to see the storefront available in the Historic Old Northeast neighborhood. A second location in the Grand Central district opened four years later. They wanted customers to feel at home with a warm and friendly vibe, and over the years they have developed a loyal following.
Food and Drinks for Every Taste
There is a large variety of coffee choices at Black Crow, with some of the most popular being cappuccinos and flavored lattes including Purple Haze and Banana Mocha. Tea lovers will not feel left out with certified organic Rishi teas. (“A premium brand,” says one customer who certifies organic products for a living.) Chai tea is made in-house along with delicious muffins, cookies, and vegan and gluten-free pastries. “We also partner with local bakeries such as Curious Cat and Golden Dinosaurs to help support other small businesses,” Hawk says.
Doing Their Own Roasting
Bauman started roasting and packaging coffee beans at their Grand Central location in 2016. Black Crow sources single-origin arabica beans from a variety of suppliers in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, and Tanzania and sells to local restaurants such as BellaBrava, Stillwaters Tavern, GulfPerk Coffee Bar, Southie Coffee, and Sweet Magnolia Bakery. “It’s amazing how you can select from a variety of coffee bean-growers such as co-ops, women-owned, organic, or bird-friendly,” Hawk says. “It’s a great way to support the worldwide community and the environment.”
Practice What They Preach
Hawk and Bauman were proud to have the Old Northeast location certified as the first zero-waste business in St. Pete in 2019. All food waste, including coffee grounds, is sent to compost. If you are drinking your beverage in the shop, you’ll get a ceramic coffee mug, and you are welcome to bring your own. If you want food or coffee to go, the goods arrive in a disposable, compostable container. Pasta straws are used, and all spoons, cups, and rags are reutilized.
Giving Back to the Community
A variety of events take place in the shops, such as art night, featuring live music, poetry readings and art exhibits, as well as open mic nights. The couple financially support the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, and they roast and private-label a special brand of coffee for Creative Clay, an organization that seeks to make the arts accessible to those with disabilities. The nonprofit receives 100 percent of the proceeds. In addition to sponsoring local events and fundraisers, Black Crow welcomes small groups such as Queer Expression of St. Pete as a safe space where they can do crafts or just talk and support each other.
“We sincerely appreciate the ongoing support from the community,” Hawk says. “That is what allows us to support our beloved city of St. Petersburg.”
For more info or to view the event schedule, please visit www.blackcrowcoffeeco.com. Black Crow Coffee Co. Old Northeast is at 722 Second St. N. The Grand Central location is at 2157 First Ave S. Both are open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
