Square Mug Café owners beat eviction threat with donations from community
Square Mug Café celebrated three years in Railroad Square with its Square Cubed anniversary fundraiser. Their goal was to raise money to stock its food pantry and more importantly, to raise money to cover their rent to reverse an eviction threat.
Successfully, they were able to raise enough donations to cover back rent with wiggle room for more.
“We still have money coming from the art auction we had, and the GoFundMe is still live for donations,” Donna Elliott, owner of Square Mug Café, told the Tallahassee Democrat. “I didn’t realize how many people actually cared about Square Mug.”
Among those supporters is Anna Edson McBride, owner at Feeling Art Collective in the Railroad Square Art District, who also works at Square Mug as a part-time barista. She said the event raised $400 for their silent art auction featuring donated pieces from 12 local artists.
Other Railroad Square news: Popular Railroad Square restaurant closing in January. The search is on for a new tenant.
Inside Total Wine Tallahassee: With wide selection, here are 5 things to know about the store
“It wasn’t just Donna and Square Mug Café, we were fighting for the food pantry and the community that they support,” McBride said.
Elliott said she was served an eviction warning September 27 from TLG Property Management due to late rent payment. Since then, she received leniency and was given an extension to cover back rent by Oct. 7.
As of today, she is all caught up with back rent and October’s commitment.
TLG Property Management wished not to comment on the matter.
“I'm very grateful to Railroad Square for allowing me to be here for three years to continue doing the things I'm doing for the community,” Elliott said. She added she doesn’t want to find herself in this position again and continues to ask for the support of the community.
Around town: LeMoyne Arts opens month-long 'Beam with Pride' exhibit
Gallery: Students paint sidewalks near Kate Sullivan Elementary & Cobb Middle
This year two cafés in the area, All Saints Café and Serenity Coffee and Kava Bar, closed due to slow business and rising costs. Ernest Decoteau, Elliott’s husband, said the summer months were hard and they fell behind on rent due to COVID and slow business since many students leave the area during the summer.
"Over the summer we were facing eviction, we had got behind, but we get behind and then get caught up,” Decoteau said regarding their rent history.
A haven for more than a cup of coffee
Elliott deemed the café a “safe space” for those who want to get away and study and for the homeless people in the area. She provides free food and coffee daily to those in need. The café is decorated with artwork for sale from local artists, including a piece by McBride titled “The Angel of Square Misfit”.
In partnership with Second Harvest of the Big Bend in Tallahassee, Square Mug operates a food pantry in the café where those in need can pick up free groceries.
“I’m the only business partnered with Second Harvest to have a food bank operating from out of it,” Elliott, a Tallahassee native said.
"I think that what we do for the houseless population around here is awesome. We provide free food for them, we let them hang out here all day long, we let them store their bags here,” Elliott said. “I have five or six people that come every day to get free food,” she said.
Others in the community also feel that Elliott and Square Mug have had a positive impact on the community as well. Elliott teaches at the Grassroots Free School, and helps organize the annual Pride Prom, an event to support LGBTQ youth in Tallahassee.
"Square Mug is just a café. Donna has been a pillar in the community, she does so much,” said Loretta Denes, owner of Village Art, located next door.
Alex Spencer, owner of Common Ground Books in Tallahassee, also shared support.
“Square Mug Café has been a great supporter of the LGBTQ community; they’ve been doing amazing things,” Spencer said.
If you would like to contribute to the donation efforts, visit https://gofund.me/d3f46d44
Contact Democrat writer Alaijah Brown at ABrown1@gannett.com and on Twitter at @BrownAlaijah.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee's Square Mug Café owners rally support to stay in business
