Kravings Kafe: A Haitian-Owned Café Thriving on Community Support in Brooklyn
Kravings Kafe, founded by Elveda Dorce and Zayveon Kimble, is a Haitian-owned café in Brooklyn offering fresh, preservative-free treats. Though facing challenges with foot traffic and financial strain, the café has gained renewed interest through social media and community support. Dorce aims to expand the business into a franchise while emphasizing their commitment to making a diverse range of healthy and delicious options available to customers.
Kravings Kafe, a Haitian-owned café located in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, has been serving fresh, preservative-free treats since September 2023. Founded by Elveda Dorce and Zayveon Kimble, the café aims to create a unique dining experience for the community and honor their children, as reflected in the name, where each ‘K’ represents one of their children.
The couple initially wanted to open an ice cream shop after their children loved the dessert during a family trip to Florida. Their vision evolved to include the concept of rolled ice cream and their intent to offer a crafted Brooklyn-style 2D café experience with high-quality ingredients and visually appealing designs popular in parts of Asia and Africa.
Kravings Kafe distinguishes itself from traditional ice cream vendors by prioritizing health. “Everything we use has no preservatives or additives,” Dorce asserted, highlighting that their fresh ice cream has a longer-lasting texture compared to competitor products. They also serve unique, in-house made açaí bowls utilizing a rolled ice cream machine, which yields a sorbet-like consistency.
Despite a promising opening and good foot traffic during initial months, the café encountered unexpected challenges. Dorce noted, “In June 2023, we saw a lot of families… It looked like we were in for a great opening,” but spring 2023 brought a mysterious decline in foot traffic affecting all businesses in the area.
As financial pressures intensified by late 2023, the couple considered temporarily closing the café. Dorce stated, “We just didn’t have the money… It was heartbreaking, but we had to make the decision for our family.” The closure lasted until January, when increased visibility from social media, particularly after a feature on “Success is Us,” helped to rejuvenate the café’s patronage.
Post-reopening, Kravings Kafe offered limited hours while balancing family responsibilities and staffing issues. Dorce expressed, “I wasn’t prepared for the level of attention we received,” but noted community support has been significant.
However, as a Black-owned business, they have faced difficulties in accessing support and resources that are often available to other ethnic groups. Dorce remarked, “I’ve contacted council members… but they haven’t really helped.”
Looking toward the future, Dorce and Kimble aspire to grow Kravings Kafe into a franchise. Their slogan, “Eat What You Krave,” emphasizes their commitment to providing a variety of options for their patrons. Dorce concluded, “We still believe in our vision. We just need our community to believe in us, too.”
Kravings Kafe represents a promising venture in the heart of Brooklyn, driven by a vision to offer fresh, preservative-free treats in a unique dining format. Despite facing significant challenges, particularly in gaining support as a Black-owned business, the couple maintains an optimistic outlook for the future. Through community engagement and commitment to quality, they aim to establish a sustainable presence that reflects their cultural heritage and entrepreneurial spirit.
Original Source: www.caribbeanlife.com
