Allison Dunn is the founder of newly immersive Black-owned Brooklyn café, Hibiscus Brew. The Jamaican-born entrepreneur resides in New York, and was a thriving home organizer prior to the pandemic. Overcoming the economic shift, Dunn took initiative and opened up Hibiscus Brew in the middle of the pandemic, right in time for a stunning fall season in New York City.
“As a Jamaican, you’ll never find a Jamaican just having one job, it’s 10 jobs,” Dunn told Travel Noire. “You’re doing multiple things and that’s me as an entrepreneur. I just think it’s super important not to just rely on one thing, so I’m always looking to start doing something else. That’s just the Jamaican spirit. We’re hard workers.”
Allison Dunn had no food establishment experience before opening Hibiscus Brew. Yet, the business has managed to become a popular location for its coffee, smoothie, salad, and healthy bowl selections. The café uses its base ingredient of sorrel to enhance their smoothies with nutritious properties which is what Allison Dunn strives for.
“That’s how I like to eat and if I’m eating anything, I just want the best for my body. Every time I’m looking at healthy products I’m thinking this is expensive, but that’s what’s better and that’s what I’m going to do.”
The vibrant pink tropical storefront is becoming a noticeable inclusion to the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, and is attracting many residents of the area.
“I wanted to bring out my culture because I’m from Jamaica and some stuff was inspired by the island,” she said. “Even now, with the tropical feel of the storefront, I wanted it to feel like home and I also wanted it to feel like a space where when people come, they’re happy. It just makes them happy.”
The Black-owned Brooklyn business is quickly becoming a cultural hub within the Flatbush area.
Despite the likelihood of Hibiscus Brew’s customer traffic being lower than usual because of the paranoia of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunn’s café has been nothing but successful throughout’s its 8 months of operation.
To learn more about the café visit: hibiscusbrew.co.
