The Grass Valley community is coming together to help a local business owner keep her coffee shop open after she was told her lease wasn’t getting renewed and had to be out by June.
“We’re a small community. We try and help each other and stick together,” said ‘What’s Up Coffee?’ customer, Deno Hudson. “I found out about the situation with her lease, and how can I not help her out? It seemed mandatory."
Hudson says ‘What’s Up Coffee?’ is more than just a place for people to get a cup of joe.
“It’s more like our little nonalcoholic version of Cheers. Everybody knows everybody’s name. We all greet each other with smiling faces, and we sit down and talk about the day’s event and drink coffee,” Hudson said.
Owner Angie Buist has owned the small business for five years, and in a Facebook post she told her customers that she was heartbroken to not have her lease renewed, and would be closing in June.
Hudson said when he saw her post, he had to do something to help Buist keep her business running. The longtime customer started a GoFundMe page to help Buist collect funds to relocate.
“When you see her struggle so hard, but yet help out so many you have to reward that kind of kindness with kindness of your own and give her the boost when she’s down,” Hudson adds.
Over the years, customers say she’s helped feed hundreds of homeless and their pets, and has also organized toy drives every holiday season that benefit up to 400 kids.
“I’m an animal lover, always have been, and I have family members that have been homeless and I understand that part,” Buist said.
Buist said she didn’t have plans to relocate at first. “A few days ago, I was just ready to sell everything and close it up and go back to working for someone else.”
But those plans quickly changed. “I got so much love and support that I decided ok, I must not be done. We’ll just find new location and keep it going.”
Customer Tiffany Cole stopped by on Tuesday to tell Buist she would donate a portion of every sale from her business till she’s able to find a new location.
“I love Angie. We all love Angie,” Cole said.
To donate to the coffee shop, click here for the GoFundMe page.
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