Georgia Magazine - January 2022 - 29

Top left: Brewistas Albert and Gavin showcase some of the
beverages available. Above: The cafe's board of directors
and other members of the team gather for a photo.
Far left: Dogs are always welcome at Brewable Café, and
many follow their owners inside for a " pup cup " after playing
at Wills Park. Left: Brewistas organize and pack gift boxes
and include personal, handwritten notes.
'It makes Alpharetta a more disability-friendly city,
and that is a good thing for all of us.'
-Mary Ulich, founding member of Brewable Café
is given with writing résumés and interviewing.
One of Brewable's missions is to develop community
connections. A portable coffee cart appears at pop-up events
for civic clubs, schools and businesses, giving employees
opportunities to interact with and be part of the community.
" We really try to get out and do stuff in Alpharetta, " Isabelle
Rudd says. " They [the brewistas] love it. It gives Brewable
exposure and brings in income. "
The cafe depends on donations and fundraisers to cover
half of its annual budget. Financial contributions and in-kind
services help the cafe to stay in business. For example, a local
bakery donates trimmings from baked cakes, which brewistas
turn into cake pops using industrial kitchen space. These are
bestsellers, Isabelle Rudd says.
As was the case with other businesses, navigating the pandemic
was difficult. Brewable closed for 10 weeks, then opened
to limited hours and no revenue. Some days, there was only one
customer. Even so, shutting down for good was never an option.
To boost revenue and give employees something to do in
late 2020, the staff put together a holiday " kindness " gift box
with coffee, a mug, a T-shirt and a handwritten note from a
brewista. It was such a success that it's now offered year-round.
" It was more than just a gift. It was a good feeling, " Nicky
Rudd says. " Everyone was involved with the boxes, and that
really got us going. "
Other communities that are interested in starting similar
cafes have reached out to Brewable team leaders. Rudd is sure to
give them the bottom-line facts.
" There is a startup cost; it's not free, " she says. " It has to be
grassroots, and you need people to send potential employees
and donations to keep it going. "
Brewable can do more than provide a cup of coffee. It can
change a community. When people hear about the coffeehouse,
they want to know more and be a part of it, says Ulich, who is
still active with the nonprofit organization.
" It makes Alpharetta a more disability-friendly city, and that
is a good thing for all of us, " she says.
" I'm hoping we're looking at this next generation growing
up in Alpharetta, where [disability] is no big deal, " Rudd adds.
Laura Berrios is a freelance writer who lives in Alpharetta.
When you go
Brewable Café, Alpharetta Community Center, 175 Roswell St.,
Alpharetta. brewablecafe.com.
The cafe is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.
www.georgiamagazine.org 29
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Georgia Magazine - January 2022

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