November 11, 2016
by Maya Henry
Next Pittsburgh
Seven years. That’s how long the idea has been percolating to open a cafe in an old post office in Homewood.
On Friday, November 18, Everyday Cafe will finally open at 532 N. Homewood Ave. thanks to a partnership between Operation Better Block and the Bible Center Church located just down the street. The 2,000-square-foot coffee shop will offer a full range of hand-crafted coffee and tea drinks as well as light bites such as soups, salads and sandwiches. It will also be the first cashless coffee shop in Pittsburgh. Customers must pay using a credit or ATM card or online payment system like Apple pay.
“Our goal is to be the most diverse coffee house in Pittsburgh,” John Wallace.
“Our church wanted this to happen for Homewood,” says John Wallace, a professor at Pitt and senior pastor at the church that will own and operate Everyday. “Two years ago we decided to go forward with the business, with the idea of it meeting an important need in the community.”
Wallace is excited about bringing a healthy eating option to Homewood and a “third space” where neighbors can gather.
Profits from the coffee shop will support after-school programs run by the church and other nonprofit employment and educational programs.
Located close to the busway and near the border of Homewood and Point Breeze, the coffee shop is imagined as a place where community members can gather and students can use the free wifi.
“I know the block very well and it has a personal connection for me,” says Wallace, who was born one block away from Everyday. “I do remember Homewood Avenue having businesses and being vibrant. I was gone for 21 years, so coming back and seeing so little there, it’s exciting to contribute on a personal level and have a role in revitalization.”
Everyday will be open—every day—from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with occasional later hours for special events and community meetings.
