Coffee Shop Business Proposal for the Madam Walker Theatre

History of the Madam Walker Theatre and Business Fit

This business proposal outlines a plan to open — or more precisely, reopen — the coffee shop and restaurant that once existed inside the Madam Walker Theatre, formerly known as "The Coffee Pot." The Madam Walker Theatre was named after Madam C. J. Sarah Breedlove Walker, an African American entrepreneur who specialized in hair care and beauty products that were manufactured and sold in the building that now bears her name. She developed and initiated plans for the building's construction, and after her death in 1919 the completion of the project fell to her daughter A'Leila Walker. The building opened in 1927 and served as both the headquarters for the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company — one of the biggest and brightest examples of African American ingenuity and industry in the 20th century (National Park Service, 2019) — and as an entertainment venue for the African American community, where jazz bands played and showmen performed. It housed a salon and beauty school, a ballroom, a movie theatre, a drugstore, professional offices, and the Coffee Pot restaurant.

All told, it was a sensational building full of life and vitality — but by mid-century the neighborhood began to decline, and the fortunes of the Walker Theatre declined along with it (Benedict-Browne, 2019). Still, as Benedict-Browne (2019) has observed, the Walker Building represents the heart of Indianapolis's African American community's past and present. That is precisely why this business idea fits so naturally within it. The goal is to bring back the Coffee Pot restaurant and re-realize Madam Walker's ambition to be part of the lifeblood of the community — offering the daily cup of coffee and food to go with it. The Walker Building's restoration cannot be complete without its coffee shop.

Connecting African Roots

As an African American with roots in South Africa, the author's heritage is directly linked to the African heritage of the Madam Walker Building. Madam Walker was the first African American female millionaire in the United States, and that achievement is an inspiration to many. Yet what is most inspiring is that she gave so much back to her community: she helped fund the local YMCA and donated to a nationwide anti-lynching campaign to help stop violence against her African American brothers and sisters. That generosity is what makes her truly wealthy in the eyes of many who know her story, for those who hail from South Africa understand all too well the devastating impact that violence can have on a community. The aim of the proposed Coffee Pot is to use the space as a community center where people of all races can come together and work toward ending the decades of violence and bigotry that have persisted since the Civil Rights Era.

The Walker Building has long stood as an icon in Indianapolis of the power and culture of the African American community. It is filled with African emblems that highlight and promote the beauty and charm of African heritage and culture: African-inspired masks, a sphinx (a nod to Egypt), a spear, a shield, and extensive art deco design. The building is a perfect blend of African Americanism — it unites the American art deco style with a true African sensibility.

In South Africa, a building of this significance would be celebrated for hundreds of miles in all directions. It would represent a moment in history that uplifted the community and stood as the glory of the nation. In Indianapolis, Madam Walker gave everything she had to ensure that her business and her community would benefit from her success as an entrepreneur. South Africans of all backgrounds can appreciate such a gesture, and that spirit of giving back is what motivates this proposal for revitalization.

Differentiating the Coffee Shop

As Madam Walker herself stated: "I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don't sit down and wait for opportunities to come. Get up and make them" (Madam Walker Legacy Center, 2019). That entrepreneurial spirit is exactly what drives this proposal. To make this opportunity viable, it is essential to differentiate this coffee shop from its competitors. As Trout and Rivkin (2006) have demonstrated, one must "differentiate or die." That means creating a product and providing a service in an environment unlike anything found elsewhere. What compels people to choose one coffee shop over the many others dotting every corner of every neighborhood? Three things: the product must deliver at a high level, the service must shine, and the environment must speak volumes and give customers that extra energy they seek when they step into a coffee shop.

This coffee shop would deliver on all three counts by specializing in coffees and teas sourced from African countries — Egypt, Morocco, Jamaica, and South Africa, among others — including South African rooibos tea. The shop will offer authentic coffees and teas from African nations, with beans and tea leaves that leave patrons wanting more. The aromas in this shop will be enticing and distinctive, drawing in customers from throughout the neighborhood.

In addition to beverages, the menu will feature African and African American specialty foods and desserts. South African favorites will include Pap en vleis/Shisa nyama — described as "chops, steak, chicken, kebabs and boerewors — a spicy farmer's sausage — accompanied by maize porridges in many different forms including phuthu and stywe pap, krummelpap (crumbly porridge), and suurpap (soured pap)" (Hobbs, 2017). The menu will also feature bunny chow — one of South Africa's most celebrated street foods: a hollowed-out quarter loaf of bread filled with spicy, hot curry. And there will be Cape breyani — a beloved South African one-pot meal made with marinated meat, lentils, rice, spices, crispy fried onions, and hard-boiled eggs. For all one's ethnic food, coffee, and tea needs, the new Coffee Pot restaurant will be the destination of choice.

References

Benedict-Browne, T. (2019). The icon of Indiana Avenue. Retrieved from http://nomeancity.com/walker-theater

Evans, D. (2010). Social media marketing: An hour a day. John Wiley & Sons.

Hobbs, J. (2017). 15 of Africa's favorite dishes. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/africa-food-dishes/index.html

Madam Walker Legacy Center. (2019). Retrieved from https://madamwalkerlegacycenter.com/

National Park Service. (2019). Madame C. J. Walker Building. Retrieved from

Trout, J., & Rivkin, S. (2006). Differentiate or die. In The marketing gurus (ed. Murray). Penguin.