Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Macalik.
Hi Allison , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
We (Allison Macalik and Russell Tibbits) have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. During the pandemic, we purchased rental properties across the country and still own 14 doors. But we pivoted to thinking about opening a coffee shop when Allison’s best friend opened a coffee shop in Brooklyn, NYC called Saturn Road. We are investors and were able to learn the ins and outs of what it takes to start and maintain a thriving community coffee shop. That’s when we knew we wanted to open our own.
In parallel, we spent a month in Europe last summer and we loved how kids are always welcome and how restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc. are intentional about making sure kids are considered. Play places, toys, coloring books, etc., were everywhere we looked and it was such an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
We knew in our hearts we wanted to open a family-friendly community space in Oak Cliff, and started actively looking in January of this year. When we learned one of our favorite coffee shops was for sale, we jumped at the opportunity.
We rebranded to little joy (the original name we had wanted when we were dreaming last summer) and hit the ground running.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our biggest takeaway right now is that it’s okay to pivot. We’ve been trying different things to see what resonates with the community and if something doesn’t work the way you thought it would, that’s okay!
I’ll give you an example. I had no idea how much a vendor website took out for hosting events. So much so that we lost a ton of money on a really popular event. But that’s okay! We learned two valuable things: 1) We now need to look at other websites to collect money for tickets and 2) the community wants these events. So let’s plan another one, just in a smarter way.
We also learned that social media needs to be ran by us. We both work full-time jobs, so we outsourced it at the beginning and paid a company. But we received feedback that it didn’t feel authentic, people’s voices weren’t being heard, etc. So now it’s me running the social media account and I’m learning something new every day. I am not an expert, but I’m showing up for the community and leaving my ego at the door.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I want the world to know that little joy cafe has heart and passion. We truly, deeply care. This is a labor of love by our entire family and we are honored to be a small business in our beloved Oak Cliff and the Elmwood neighborhood.
little joy cafe is different than other cafes because not only does it have delicious, high quality coffee and many other incredible drinks, there are four curated, incredible sandwiches made in-house.
We are intentional about the space and making sure the community has a voice. Everything from the custom wallpaper in the bathrooms to the play place to the new chairs (the community recently voted on which ones we should get to ensure they support all bodies) to the pastries to the baristas to the events to partnering with our Elmwood neighbors and other small businesses in Oak Cliff, you name it. This is a beloved spot and our goal is to ensure the people have a voice and feel seen and heard in every decision we make.
And of course, children are welcome!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Allison is a podcast host of two podcasts! She’s combining her previous podcast, When the Dog Bites, to a new one focused on finding the joy that she will record in the coffee shop. People can come to live tapings and submit their own moments of joy!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.littlejoycoffeeshop.com
- Instagram: @little.joy.cafe
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/littlejoycafe
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/little-joy-coffee/
Image Credits
Ashley Estave, Estave Creative
