Bizarre: The Coffee Bar
Bizarre: The Coffee Bar was a coffee shop located in the 2201 3rd Avenue North building, at 217-219 22nd Street North from 2018 to 2023.
The business was founded by Jennifer Butler and Mia Perryman. They held a soft opening on October 5 and a grand opening celebration on November 2. Butler took charged of marketing and graphics while Perryman operated the kitchen and purchasing. The business originally served Royal Cup coffee along with breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and soups.
In October 2019 the owners partnered with Will Harvill who took over as general manager. During the COVID-19 pandemic he saw the business transform into an essential spot for those living and working downtown. He reached out to other small businesses like Beanalli Coffee, Executive Art, My Sweetheart Bakery, Amie Scott, Tae Lee and Lively & Fit to cross-market their products through the store. He also began turning over the coffee bar's kitchen to other chefs and food trucks in the evenings. His fund-raiser to repair windows at a neighboring business damaged by vandalism following the 2020 George Floyd protests gave rise to a non-profit, Bizarre Blessings, that supports small minority-owned businesses.
In August 2023, facing the prospect of significantly higher rents under a new landlord, then owner Will Harvill decided to relocated the shop to an undetermined new space in the area.
References
- Van der Bijl, Hanno (October 5, 2018) "New coffee shop opens downtown." Birmingham Business Journal
- Chambers, Jesse (November 14, 2018) "A unique vision at new downtown coffee bar." Iron City Ink
- Swagler, Susan (May 26, 2021) "Bizarre: The Coffee Bar is an Alabama original fit for the times." Alabama NewsCenter
- Parker, Illyshia (August 30, 2023) "Bizarre The Coffee Bar closing its doors this week." Birmingham Business Journal