If you thought she had her hands in a million things already, Issa Rae is now co-owner and partner of Inglewood’s newest Black-owned and people of color owned coffee shop and kitchen.
Hilltop Coffee and Kitchen opened its doors today, and it will definitely be a space that creatives of all genres will want to gather at.
“I’ve always wanted a coffee shop in my neighborhood,” Issa Rae said in a video on Instagram. “Coffee shops facilitate productivity in so many ways, they facilitate collaboration. I personally have done all of my writing in coffee shops. So it always disappointed me that there weren’t any that were Black-owned or people of color owned in my neighborhood.”
Los Angeles natives Ajay Relan and Yonnie Hagos created the brand and later asked Issa to join in as partner and co-owner.
“We could not have found a more authentic partner whose values and mission is aligned with ours,” Ajay Relan said.
The name, Hilltop, is said to represent the climb that creators of all walks take to reach their dreams and goals while overcoming obstacles along the way.
The space located at 170 N. La Brea, is airy and bright with lots of natural light coming in. There will be collaboration events happening often, including a once a month open mic night. There is also a second location at 4427 W. Slauson Avenue.