Minneapolis coffee company co-owner, Tony Querio, writes about the ongoing crisis his city and the toll it’s taking on his community and business
BY TONY QUERIO
SPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE
Minneapolis has been my home for nearly 14 years. Our time here has been wonderful. The city is vibrant and diverse. That said, the past few weeks here have been the hardest of my life.
On November 7, we opened our first brick-and-mortar cafe in South Minneapolis. Exactly two months later, Renee Good was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, on the street in front of the homes of our regulars. Being here for our neighbors every day since has been exhausting.
Things were scary here leading up to that day. ICE agents had been harassing our friends’ restaurants up and down the street. We gathered resources, learned our rights, wrote safety plans—all the things a responsible business owner is supposed to do.
On January 7, I had just picked up my son from preschool when I saw a helicopter circling while driving to the cafe. We walked in, and I sampled our next seasonal signature latte. A barista pulled us aside, saying there were early reports of a shooting. Details slowly emerged, the reality of the situation snapped into focus, but the immediate future was foggy.
Our heads were filled with questions: “What happened?” “Who was she?” “Do we know her?” “Are our staff OK?” “What do we do now?”
While our city was in shock, the cafe became a place to gather, whether people were looking to find hope, grieve, or, in some cases, just escape reality. Many people were just trying to finish the one task they could bear completing that day.
Our baristas, with their own fears, broken hearts, and exhaustion, have been here to serve what joy can be found in a good cup of coffee and a small snack. We no longer bid customers farewell by saying, “Have a great day!” We’ve all felt the dissonance of those words. Instead, we say “be safe, take care… we’re so grateful you came in” as they walk back into the world out there.
Our cafe isn’t filled with laughter anymore. You’ll hear folks at tables sharing stories of hope and resistance, as well as stories of horrors and tragedies; sometimes, it’s just collective silence. We are all carrying so much right now. Sometimes an old friend comes in with a hug, and we just cry.
As hard as this all is, Minnesotans are neighboring hard right now. That can mean running groceries to a family that doesn’t feel safe going to a store. It can look like standing outside schools so children and families feel some protection at pick up and drop off. People have sat at our tables and made protest signs. They have made donations for the mutual aid organizations doing the hard work of sustaining families in our communities. It is inspiring beyond your wildest imagination.
Last Friday, our city was filled with hope. My company, Silverbird, joined over 700 businesses in shutting down in protest. The streets were filled with tens of thousands of citizens marching in peaceful solidarity, not to mention sub-zero temperatures.
Then, again, on Saturday, tragedy struck. Another man, Alex Pretti, was murdered on our very street. All those same questions flooded back. We closed down again, scared at what this shooting could bring to our streets—protesters, military, ICE agents, rage, hurt, and uncertainty.
It’s really hard here right now. Our city, which is typically vibrant, is shrouded in heaviness. We are not well. Many of the stories we hear every single day are darker than you can imagine.
The streets are so quiet. It doesn’t feel safe to be out. Even driving, you don’t know what’s around the next corner. Our businesses feel it. Many are running at minimal staff or completely closed because staff can’t come in, or worse, have been taken, often without regard to what identification papers they carry in their pockets.
January is always hard in Minneapolis for any business; we do live in the land of ice and cold after all. But this one is pushing on unbearable. Our team is incredible, and we are truly humbled by them. They are strong, brave, and caring. Our customers are amazing. They are still creating and doing things bigger than themselves.
It’s really hard out here, but we’re showing up every day and holding hope to see the other side.
Minneapolis, we love you, and as we like to say, “Fly On!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Querio has been in the coffee industry for nearly 19 years. He’s a United States Roaster Championship winner and owns Silverbird Roasting Co. This past fall he and his wife Caitlin opened Silverbird Coffee & More in South Minneapolis. They have two high energy boys which take up most of their time outside of work. (Photo courtesy of Nathan O’Malley.)
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