IN ADDITION TO the obvious “rise and shine” practicality, Candis Taylor has a sentimental reason for opening the door to Laurine’s, her new near-eastside coffee shop, at the eye-rubbing hour of 5:30 a.m.
Located at the corner of East Michigan Street and North Arsenal Avenue, it is the only local place around where someone can grab a good, early-morning cup of coffee. But that hour is also a daily reminder of Taylor’s grandmother Laurine, the shop’s namesake. “5:30 was when my grandmother would get up, just so she could have a little time to herself and have coffee,” says Taylor, who remembers sharing those moments with her grandmother during summertime visits to Tennessee. “When I would hear her get up at 5:30, I would get up, too, and she would make me a little cup of coffee as well. She was the first person to give me coffee, so that was kind of our thing. Coffee was our way of hanging out and bonding.”
Taylor hopes her business makes customers feel similarly seen and welcome. Also, a longtime hair stylist and owner of Taylor’s Salon next door, Taylor has spent seven years building
a loyal clientele in her chair and continues to divide her day between the two addresses. She pours coffee until 2:30 and starts taking salon clients at 3.
In addition to the salon crossover, many of her customers are teachers from Arsenal Technical High School across the street. “The kids have been trickling in, too,” Taylor says. “I’m just excited for everybody to have a
place to go, especially people of color. I am welcoming to everybody, but I’m really excited for Black and Brown
people to have a place that is for them, for us, and by us.
