Detroit is experiencing a taste of growth as its, Rosa Café + Market, a Black-owned and women-owned boutique coffee shop, reveals plans to expand with a new location housed in the burgeoning Residences at Water Square, a luxury high-rise apartment building on the former Joe Louis Arena site. According to The Detroit News, the second Rosa Café is set to open this summer, offering its unique house blend coffee and ready-to-eat food with the added perk of scenic riverfront views.
Rosa Café’s owner Charity Dean, who is also the president of the Michigan Black Business Alliance, has envisioned the new space to seamlessly merge community roots with opportunity as it takes its place within the modern Residences at Water Square. The company, which began serving Detroit residents in 2022 from its Grandmont Rosedale location, will now employ its successful formula in a vibrant new setting. In a statement obtained by Detroit Free Press, Dean emphasized the cafe's deep community ties and its commitment to continuing its legacy on the riverfront.
Dean’s expansion is not just an addition to the city’s coffee scene but a nod to her family’s historical significance in the area. The original café is named after Dean’s great-grandmother, Rosa Malone, one of the first Black homeowners in the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood where Dean now resides. The first café has not only been a place for a cup of joe but has recently stepped up its game by serving specialty cocktails after acquiring a liquor license, according to a Crain's Detroit interview.
As the community anticipates the new establishment, the Sterling Group, the firm behind Residences at Water Square, has expressed confidence that Rosa Cafe + Market will become a treasured asset to the area. Sterling Group’s CDO Danny Samson described the café as a perfect match for the lifestyle they envision for their residents and visitors. Design-wise, the downtown Rosa is crafted by Detroit-based Crane and Boom, encapsulating a blend of aesthetic appeal and convenience in its 800-square-foot space. Alongside Ethiopan coffee from Faust Haus Roasting Co., Rosa Café + Market at the downtown location is also currently hiring, indicating a burgeoning enterprise ready to serve up Detroit's coffee culture, detailed by The Detroit News.
The Residences at Water Square signifies more than just an architectural feat; it's becoming a nexus of community and culture with Rosa Café + Market set to bring its cherished ethos and enticing offerings to an eager clientele. Through this expansion, Dean fulfills a dual mission: carving out a space for Black-owned businesses on the riverfront while perpetuating the legacy of her family's Detroit roots — a recipe that seems poised for success in the city's landscape.
