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A coffee chain built around Deaf ownership and American Sign Language service is expanding into downtown Fort Wayne, planning to move into the corner storefront at 202 W. Berry Street that sat empty after its previous tenant closed nearly two years ago. Niyyah Coffee says its Fort Wayne location is coming soon, though it has not announced an official opening date.
The Fishers-based company, whose name means intention in Arabic, currently operates four locations across Central Indiana plus one in Ontario, Canada, according to WANE 15. The Fort Wayne cafe will take over the space at the corner of West Harrison and Berry streets that once housed GK Baked Goods, per the station's reporting. Niyyah describes itself as Indiana's first Deaf-owned coffee shop, a distinction that took shape when the brand opened a location near Mass Ave in Indianapolis in June, operated by Deaf owner Talha Tufail as the city's first fully Deaf-owned and operated cafe, where orders are taken using American Sign Language, gestures, or visual menus, as reported by Mirror Indy.
From Coffee Cart to Regional Chain
Niyyah's roots trace back to November 2022, when it started as a mobile coffee cart catering business before opening its first brick-and-mortar cafe inside the Hub & Spoke building in Fishers the following year. Founders Shamyl and Torrie Tufail launched the cart to build brand recognition and accumulate capital before committing to a permanent commercial space, according to background shared by Hub & Spoke. That trajectory — from a single cart to a five-location chain spanning two countries in under four years — sets up the company's latest bet on downtown Fort Wayne. The company states its intention is to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere for people of all backgrounds to enjoy coffee and conversation, and its menu includes cafe classics, specialty brews, and seasonal drink options, per the station's report.
A Storefront With Recent History
The Berry Street space carries its own local backstory. It was previously occupied by GK Cafe & Provisions, which opened in early 2023 under pastry chef Grace Kelly May in an attempt to address a long-standing lack of downtown grocery options, according to The Local. The market and cafe closed on October 16, 2024, citing a slowing local economy, high overhead, rising ingredient costs, and internal legal disputes, the outlet reported. The building itself, known as 202 Metro, is an eight-story mixed-use property originally constructed in 1975 that underwent a $25 million redevelopment adding street-level commercial space, Class A offices, and luxury condominiums, according to the Sturges Property Group. The corner lot has a deeper history still — an 1880s commercial structure once stood there before it was destroyed in a major fire in February 1967.
Downtown Fort Wayne's Growth Push
Niyyah's arrival lands amid an active push to reshape downtown Fort Wayne. The city launched “Make it Downtown: A plan for Fort Wayne's next decade” in July, a master planning initiative following more than $1 billion in downtown public and private investment completed since 2003, according to WBOI. Earlier municipal plans helped spur anchor projects like Parkview Field, Promenade Park, Electric Works, and The Pearl, the station noted. Downtown Fort Wayne also expanded its Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area in January to cover its 99-block district encompassing more than 300 businesses and cultural attractions, a policy meant to draw foot traffic to surrounding retail and dining.
The broader numbers back up the momentum. U.S. Census Bureau estimates released in May showed Fort Wayne's population surpassed 275,000 residents after adding more than 11,000 people over five years, making it the fastest-growing large city in the Midwest, according to InkFreeNews. A 2026 commercial real estate report from The Zacher Company found Fort Wayne's retail market posted positive space absorption and declining vacancy rates into 2026, outperforming national retail sector headwinds.
Filling a Gap for Deaf Hoosiers
Niyyah's model also speaks to a workforce gap. A 2024 study by the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes found Indiana is home to more than 204,000 Deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, with an employment rate of just 54.2% between 2018 and 2022. Talha Tufail designed the Indianapolis cafe environment to create accessible job opportunities and encourage direct interaction between Deaf baristas and hearing customers, per Mirror Indy's reporting — a model the Fort Wayne location appears set to follow, though the company has not detailed staffing plans for the new site.
The expansion also fits a wider shift in Indiana's coffee scene. Reporting in early 2025 pointed to a growing trend of Middle Eastern-influenced, non-alcoholic cafes — including Yemeni, Turkish, and chai-focused shops — functioning as all-day and late-night gathering spots across the state, according to Indianapolis Monthly. For now, Niyyah Coffee has confirmed only that its downtown Fort Wayne location is on the way, with no opening date set.
