Conversations from the Commons
Q&A with Jevona Watson, Owner of Detroit Sip
On a Saturday morning in mid-November, Detroit Sip coffee shop opened its doors in Detroit’s Livernois-McNichols neighborhood, a corner of the city that’s experienced lagging economic development and a lack of traditional civic assets for decades. But that’s changing, as evidenced by the emergence of Detroit Sip, as well as increasing involvement from initiatives like Reimagining the Civic Commons and reinvestment in the area around W. McNichols Road (also known as Six Mile Road) by individual entrepreneurs, community development groups and national foundations. We caught up with Detroit Sip’s owner, Jevona Watson, to learn more about her motivation to open the coffee shop and her hopes for how it will contribute to the community. A Detroit native, Jevona is an attorney by day and a graduate of the Michigan State University law school, where she became very familiar with coffee shops.
Q: Let’s start at the beginning. Where did the idea for Detroit Sip first come from?
A: It wasn’t until I began to study inside of coffee shops while a law student that I realized that my hometown was missing something important. Since 2004, I’ve wanted to win the lotto and open a coffee shop in my city. Half of my dreams have come true.
Q: They have. Why did you decide to open Detroit Sip in the Livernois-McNichols neighborhood?
A: Respectfully, I say why not Livernois-McNichols? It’s my neighborhood and Detroit Sip sits almost equal distance between Marygrove and University of Detroit, two educational jewels.
Q: You opened Detroit Sip a few months ago and already it really feels like a community space and a neighborhood hub. How would you describe its mission?
A: The mission, while evolving, stays true to the desire to unite the community one sip at a time. Not just my community — many communities are fragmented and I’d love for Detroit Sip to be a reason that people intentionally come to visit Six Mile.
Q: To build on that, a small business is obviously an enterprise with profit as a pursuit. But a small business can also serve as a civic contributor. In what ways do you think of your role and Detroit Sip’s role is that of a civic partner with responsibilities beyond just your own bottom line?
A: I can sum that up with one statement that you can find hand-painted on one of my tables: “To whom much is given much is required.”
Q: In fulfilling that requirement, Detroit Sip doesn’t exist in isolation. In fact, later this year, HomeBase, a neighborhood hub and collaborative working storefront, will be opening next door to you. Can you talk about the importance of working together with other community anchors like HomeBase to make the neighborhood stronger?
A: There is strength in numbers. Collectively, we can transform how our area looks to the naked eye. None of us live or exist in a bubble, and when we work together, we will have the respect and support amongst ourselves and others. When Detroit Sip was conceived, I had no idea that so many positive things were being planned for the area. It was definitely a blessing from God. In the beginning stages before construction really began, I’d sit out front and literally pray for our neighborhood and this business strip in particular — and now we can see just how those prayers were answered.
Q: There are obviously active investments in nearby civic assets like the park and the greenway — do you think these investments help pave the way for new locally owned and operated neighborhood businesses like Detroit Sip?
A: I’m not so sure it’s not the other way around. Local businesses help to show investors that spending their capital and taking the risk is worthwhile. The two go hand in hand. There’s room for growth big and small.
Q: Let’s talk about your patrons and your employees, who are helping to make Detroit Sip what it is. Who are they? And what sort of range to do you see in terms of racial, economic and geographic diversity?
A: The thing that I am most proud of is that my patrons come from all backgrounds and it’s completely the norm.
Q: Do you find that people from different backgrounds tend to mix?
A: There’s no distinction to make here. We have more in common than we tend to realize. When you create an atmosphere that’s welcoming, mixing is organic.
Q: If you look a year down the road, what do you hope most for Detroit Sip? Where do you want to be?
A: One year from now, I hope to have united the community’s residents, commuters and stakeholders over a cup of coffee. I would love to do what I love and that’s represent the city in such a positive light that people will intentionally come to work, play and live here. Of course, I’d love to be able to have made more money than I’ve spent in the first fiscal year, too.
Reimagining the Civic Commons is a collaboration between The JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation and local partners.
