This Long Island coffee shop wants to feed your soul and your taste buds
Soul Brew aspires to be more than just your neighbourhood coffee shop. Kristin Walsh of Long Island has transformed Soul Brew into a welcoming space where customers can enjoy speciality coffee, appreciate local art, and bask in the shop’s positive energy. Walsh was raised in the food industry, as her mother worked as a deli chef. Walsh began working as a barista at the age of 14 and developed a passion for coffee. Her interests inspired her to create Soul Brew, a coffee shop with speciality drinks, music, art, food, and community to feed your soul.
When an offer to buy a former employer’s company fell through, Walsh’s first attempt to open Soul Brew failed. Worried that her dream of opening Soul Brew would never come true, Walsh teamed up with Jeff and Nicole Petrocelli, regulars at the cafe, who agreed to back her idea. Dean Lambros, Walsh’s soon-to-be partner, joined the community and brought his branding skills to the table. Walsh explained, “We all kind of became this huge family.” “My partners and I are afraid of every move we take with Soul Brew. The unknown is always frightening, but you only have one life. When you get through the barrier, it usually gets easier with each attempt, so you just have to think, ‘Go for it.'”
Soul Brew debuted in November 2016 in St. James, followed by a second location in Huntington in September 2019 and a third location in Bellmore in March of this year. Small companies join together to offer a butterfly-themed immersive experience to the city. Jordan Nastazio, a customer, said, “I just feel like it’s a different place, it’s more calming.” “It’s not like a Starbucks, where the walls are all covered with the same generic artwork. It has a more personal feel to it.”
You can order a regular latte or something a little different, like the Cinnabon latte or the Oreo coffee shake, from Soul Brew’s menu. “Particularly in a life that is so brief,” Walsh said, “why not live it to the fullest?” “Feed your soul by pursuing your passion. I can’t emphasise this enough. For all, I trust my intuition, and I believe that if your gut is telling you to do something, it’s for a reason. That is where you can discover your life’s mission.”
