Meet Olivia Allbee | Co-founder and Co-owner of Cafe Calaca

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia Allbee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting the business actually began because the previous business, that was in this location, closed. Myself and Ivan, one of the other owners, had worked at the previous business and when hearing of its’ inevitable closure, we decided we weren’t ready to say goodbye to our neighborhood and community we had worked in for years. We partnered with David Hurtado, owner of Calaca (a long time neighborhood staple), and started what is now Cafe Calaca.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Something we are proud of as a business is our community. It’s the most essential part of a business, especially a coffee shop/cafe/restaurant. The people who come in are what makes the business great and we are proud to have those relationships as a whole community and with each individual in it. When the business was just a seed to be planted, the now owners sat down to talk about what they want the business to be and the top 3 most important aspects to each owner. The number one priority was unanimous – we wanted a space where people felt welcome, where people felt part of something, where people felt at home in. We are proud to say that with the help of our amazing community, we have been able to create a space and environment that is just that.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would definitely show them our community first. Across from us, there is Hart’s at 506 Franklin Ave., an amazing restaurant with a mediterranean leaning menu and a great selection of wine, cocktails, etc. After a great dinner at Hart’s we’d head two doors down to Glorietta Baldy at 502 Franklin Ave. – An amazing bar with great cocktails and drink selections and an awesome crowd of people.
There are many places that deserve a mention but those two are the must do’s. But the neighborhood is chalked full of awesome places to stop by, hang out, eat, drink – you’re guaranteed to find a ton of awesome spots.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out to Patti Paez, Maradelyn Taylor Root, Elizabeth Lopez, and Shawn Perez. We couldn’t have done it without your love and support. Thank you.

Website: https://www.cafecalaca.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafecalacabrooklyn/?hl=en

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/café-calaca-brooklyn-2