By: Kayla M. Duhaney
Stefan Hawkins, the “Good Brotha,” went viral with a post on LinkedIn about his coffee brand “Fifth Acres Coffee” in 2021. After less than twenty-four hours on LinkedIn, Hawkins’ coffee post captured over 1,300 likes, comments, and shares. Fifth Acres Coffee, LLC, is the first Black-owned coffee brand originating in Central Pennsylvania, featured, and sold in the “Good Brotha’s Book Café,” the first Black-owned coffee shop in Harrisburg, both of which are owned and operated by Stefan. The LinkedIn post that marked the start of his rising publicity shared an announcement with his community: “My coffee is available for purchase at Karn’s Food Store. Today is one for the history books, being the only Black-owned coffee brand in Central Pennsylvania and being the first Black-owned coffee brand to secure placement in a major grocery store in Central Pennsylvania. We at Fifth Acres Coffee, LLC, made history today and I can’t be prouder. We did it.”
Stefan Hawkins is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native. In fact, the brand name and concept “Fifth Acres” pays homage to the city that created him. He was born and raised on North “Fifth” Street in South Harrisburg, locally referred to as South “Acres.” The coffee beans are sourced in African countries, and the roast variations are given geographic names such as, “Uptown blend” and “Southside blend” to align with the geographical theme of the brand. A percentage of the profit is donated to local non-profit organizations.
Stefan’s entrepreneurial spirit is new to us, but he is in familiar territory with earning many “first” achievements for the city of Harrisburg. He founded House of Vegans, CFC, the first Black vegan restaurant in the city which opened a year prior to Good Brotha’s Cafe. Stefan is also a freelance journalist part-time, writing for Harrisburg Magazine and Penn Live. He is a son, a father of five, and a pillar to the youth in his community.
Why Coffee?
In the summer of 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, there was an outcry in Harrisburg and similarly situated cities across the country to create more Black-owned spaces. Stefan, at the time working two jobs, took the opportunity to fulfill a need in his community. He started out making food on a George Foreman grill in his apartment and sold it on the weekend as a way to make some extra cash. Eventually, he saved enough money to open House of Vegans. The city of Harrisburg has a Black population of fifty-two percent; however, Black people only make up less than three percent of business owners in the city. Stefan saw a need for Black business ownership, and he invested in addressing it. The opening of House of Vegans was initially a huge success for Stefan and his family. Patrons lined up for blocks for more than six hours on a hot, grand opening day in the middle of July. Support from the community came pouring in but the restaurant became increasingly difficult to maintain due to the pandemic and other life-work obligations.
“I learned very quickly that there’s a difference between writing the check and issuing the check. The transition from employee to employer has definitely been a culture shock.”
He came, he saw, and unfortunately, he stumbled. House of Vegans struggled due to COVID-19 and while it is closed currently, Stefan hopes to re-open sometime.
Shortly after the House of Vegans’ opening, the owners of a bakery across the street decided to move. Stefan was familiar with the owner with whom he held a short, life-changing conversation in a few words, “you should open a coffee shop,” she said. “Coffee? I’ve never poured a cup of coffee in my life,” he responded. He walked out thinking, “Hm, I should open a coffee shop.” Folks, that is all it took to spark the coffee connoisseur we have in front of us today. Not only did Stefan open his own coffee shop, but after some sourcing difficulties, he sourced, created, and marketed his own coffee brand.
“After doing some research and listening to business owners of all kinds, I have learned the importance of ownership.” When Stefan gets asked, “why coffee?” His response is often, “why not?” He saw a need and addressed it. His entrepreneurial spirit turned a hustle into his passion. He says, “this is both a hustle and a business for me. This is about longevity. I want to be the next Howard Schultz.” Howard Schultz is most famously known for being the chief executive officer of Starbucks but is also an author.
“This is my purpose; I’m trying to motivate my people. We need more black spaces. This coffee brand is about inspiring my city. I want to make an impression and impact. A good cup of coffee could change the way you approach your whole day.”
The Vision
“Nobody sees your vision like the way you see your vision,” Stefan spoke about working endlessly and tirelessly for months to facilitate a good coffee shop experience for his customers. Good Brotha’s Café has a cozy, “dark-themed” bookstore vibe featuring local Black artists’ paintings of men and women on the walls, a giant bookshelf filled with books for customers to read at their leisure, and pastries to go with the perfect cup of coffee.
“I’m the boss, customer service, operations manager, and employee – all wrapped in one. Experience was my teacher.” Fifth Acres Coffee transcends the four corners of Good Brotha’s café, which keeps Stefan’s wheels turning as he makes delivery drop-offs to supermarkets, does his own labeling, and coordinates how to be in several places at once.
Sacrifices
When asked what his largest sacrifices were, Stefan responded: “My sanity. In a good way though, because I want to put forth the best product, the best services, and the best business practices.”
When I asked Stefan about balancing his coffee shop and brand, he responded, “I got overwhelmed. Once Fifth Acres went viral, it became a stumbling block because I did not have a team.” He touched on a misconception that he was confronted with by many people, “most people think because you own your own business, you have the freedom to do what you want. Unfortunately, that could not be more wrong.” Working for four months straight from dawn to dusk has been a challenge. Stefan explains, “the workday does not stop; I just find a way to fit everybody else in.”
“When you’re growing a business, there’s no such thing as a day off. This is my legacy; I need to make sure this is successful.”
Mental health matters too though, “You can’t lose yourself along this journey. I keep asking myself: What’s the purpose? What’s driving me?”
As a Black entrepreneur, self-taught business owner, and community figure – “the scrutiny is there.” Stefan is very aware of having to watch the way he does business for the sake of his business and his image. He has worked at various fast-food restaurants and is very familiar with fast food industries, however, owning and operating his brand as a community figure has forced him to take a step back from online sales, recoup, and potentially revamp his website soon.
Good Brotha, Good Trouble
Is all press, good press? Thankfully, Stefan is constantly featured on the news for being a “good brotha” which sparked the name for his café. His claim to fame was rapid, but he appreciates the opportunity to represent Black men on the news for positive reasons: entrepreneurship, literacy, and pushing education. “This is my legacy. This is what I want to build. All I need is the people’s support.” Good Brotha’s Cafe is looking to incrementally expand into areas that are not traditionally Black. He explained it’s hard to be the first because “you’ll walk into rooms alone, not knowing what you’re walking into.” With a longtime passion for culinary arts since high school, Stefan simply wanted to find his niche within the food industry but needed to work odd jobs to get there. Finally, he has risen to the top causing a stir in his community as a young businessman, employing high school children to keep them out of trouble and advocating for higher literacy rates among Black men in his community. As a person who did not pursue any formal higher education, Stefan had to find his place. Fifth Acres Coffee is his way forward.
“This is bigger than me. I have to understand that I have a duty to keep this business model solid because I have the city on my back. I am the first Black man to make history in several business aspects within the city of Harrisburg, my city. Knowing that, I hope to inspire the next generation to fall in line without having to suffer for this generation’s mistakes.”
The Next Generation
“It takes dedication, consistency, and hard work. Most people don’t see what it takes, but I also don’t look for an applause. This is about the grind. This is about my drive to see my business succeed.” Be teachable. Learn from the mistakes of others. Stefan emphasizes the importance of formal education but also learning through practice.
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- Be a student.
- Chin up. You cannot lose yourself. Keep going.
- Money does not always win.
- Invest in your vision, in every aspect.
- Make sure your purpose motivates you.
Fifth Acres Coffee is Black and blossoming. Stefan wants to stay in Harrisburg, give back, and help bring his community forward one cup of coffee at a time.
He inspires now and will continue to inspire!
Follow Good Brotha’s Book Cafe on social media: Facebook
Twitter: @goodbrothasbook
Kayla Duhaney, at the time of this post, is a second-year law student at Penn State Dickinson Law. She is from Mount Vernon, New York, and is a graduate of George Mason University located in Virginia. Kayla is the Vice President of the Black Law Student’s Association and a Dickinson Law Lion Ambassador. She plans to take her education and talents back to New York City post-graduation.