Austin is steeping a new flavor in its coffee culture, thanks to the opening of Sightseer Coffee, a queer and women-owned coffee bar located next to Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop at 1905 S. First St., Austin, TX 78704. Founded by Kimberly Zash and Sara Gibson, this establishment is dealing out more than just your regular cup of Joe, after their soft opening back on May 21st. Their grand opening is slated for June 29, a date set to see the local java scene potentially shift gears in a direction that focuses just as much on ethical sourcing as it does on quality beverages.
Sightseer Coffee, which started as a roasting company in 2022, aims to directly support women in the coffee industry, an initiative all too important considering that "women make up about 70% of the manual labor force on coffee farms," yet often find themselves excluded from the spheres of decision-making and ownership. During the grand opening, in a bid to likely draw crowds and give back, the shop plans to offer 50% off all drinks, 20% off bags of coffee, and other treats, including "cold-fashioned" cocktails and free baked goods from Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, according to MySA. "The soft opening was very chill, which was perfect. We wanted to start slowly and intentionally and make sure we could give our customers a great experience before we announced a grand opening," Gibson explained to MySA.
At Sightseer Coffee, the menu is as carefully crafted as the business model, offering specialty drinks with nods to iconic women, like the "Teaches of Peaches" and "Fade Into You" lattes, as reported by Austin Eater. But it's not just about the allude to pop culture and feminist figures. The coffee shop takes sourcing seriously, committing to exclusively work with women producers and co-ops and paying higher-than-fair Trade prices for their coffee beans. This gesture is a deliberate one, striving to address the gender disparity in an industry where women do much of the heavy lifting yet rarely reap the rewards of ownership or management roles.
Customers can visit Sightseer Coffee from Tuesday to Friday beginning at 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and during the weekends from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Whether you're in for the innovative flavors, the vegan options, or the comfort of a drink that supports a cause, Sightseer Coffee stands ready to serve a cup with a conscience.
