by Radical Press Coffee Collective
If you’ve been into the CMC in the past year, you’ve probably noticed Radical Press, the collectively run coffee shop in the corner. Two years ago, eight friends had a far-fetched dream of a worker-owned coffee shop that would be accountable to and active in the community.
Two years later, our idyllic hopes are becoming practical, malleable realities. In the time since our inception, we’ve faced many difficult decisions ranging from how we can source ethically sound products to how we can avoid acting as agents of gentrification. Several times, we’ve had to say goodbye to beloved team members and had the opportunity to build ties with new ones.
So what’s going on behind the scenes? How well are we achieving our dream?