ELEVATOR PITCH
Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge is an intimate coffee and specialty tea shop fueled by feminine energy. The space will be designed for those who seek the alchemy of herbal elixirs and an unusual retail experience. It will also be a gathering place for anyone who might appreciate a sober alternative to bars. I am partnering with Brooklyn Roasting, whose credo is "to provide NYC with best quality, sustainably-sourced coffees presented to consumers unpretentiously." This ethos, paired with their impressive history of successful cafés, will provide the perfect anchor for the business
THE CONCEPT
A tiny turn-of-the-century café and specialty shop, catering to the increasing number of curious health-conscious locals and recent arrivals to the neighborhood. A successful, urban professional clientele will enjoy gourmet coffees, specialty teas, and fortifying tonics created with herbal tinctures and spices in a sunlit 500 sq ft space. The room will offer beverages to be consumed on premises or taken to-go. We will also offer small plates of food prepared off-premises. The space will serve as a magical mercantile featuring specialty blend teas; Brooklyn Roasting Company coffees; curative elixirs and tonics; bottled herbal beverages, witchy soaps and candles; and books available to peruse and purchase. We will book tarot, palm, rune or astrology readers, candle making workshops, bitters making classes and other events, offering guests experiential activities.
Popular culture has always embraced the concept of magical powers and influences. Over the decades, “supernatural” wares could be found in the hippy-dippy head shops of the 60s and the Tolkien-inspired ethereal boutiques of the 70s. A reawakening of Occultism in the 80s flowed into the New Age-ism of the 90s and had us all utlizing essential oils. The more modern fascination with dragons and magic fueled by Harry Potter and Game of Thrones — paired with a resurgence of herbal remedies and holistic health — makes this type of feminine magic top of mind. Suburban housewives are practicing Wicca and Satanists have gotten into politics. From the spooky, musty shops of yesteryear to mainstream acceptance, what were once superstitions are a part of the current lexicon.
Hekate’s Marketing Archetype, The Magician, wishes to create something special and make dreams a reality. Example brands include Apple, Disney and Absolut.
OUR CUSTOMERS
The different demographics Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge will appeal to anyone in search of something offbeat and unusual, including:
• Morning Joans - health-obsessed, post-yoga and occult-curious women will be attracted to the powerful feminine imagery and empowering vibe.
• Curious Tourists - visitors staying in nearby hotels or AirBnBs will be lured by the beautiful interior.
• Marauding Millennials - groups of shoppers, brunchers and spenders will pop in to see what it’s all about.
• Loyal Locals - East Villagers will make it a daily ritual to stop in for coffee, tea or a fortifying beverage.
• Aspiring Alchemists and Pagan Practitioners - urban witches or casual dabblers will find Hekate irresistible!
• Shoppers eager to embrace herbology and witchcraft, and seeking the intersection of “manifesting” and fun.
MAGIC INGREDIENTS
• Elixirs created with herbs, spices and infused tinctures inspired by feminine sorcery.
• Coffee roasted and brewed by a successful company with years of retail location experience.
• Events with astral, astrological, lunar, Wiccan/Pagan and similar themes.
• Magical merch: intention-setting candles and soaps, tinctures, bitters, talismans, potions, and books.
SMART PARTNERSHIPS
• Local coffee experts Brooklyn Roasting Company will contribute 10% of sales.
• Haus of Hag will supply magical candles and soaps.
• Herb Witch will supply tinctures, specialty teas, lotions and oils.
• We anticipate more partnerships as business increases and people discover a new venue for their wares.
SIZE OF MARKET
The East Village is a HUGE, bustling destination with a high volume of foot traffic looking for unusual experiences. Hekate Elixir Lounge will not only be catering to a slice of that excitement-seeking demographic but regular people of all ages looking for a fun, unique retail environment and, more importantly, in search of something with a distinct personality. In a word, the market is MASSIVE.
COMPETITION
Ninth Street Espresso is just around the corner, offering a somewhat aloof gourmet coffee experience. Brooklyn Roasting Company has far more retail history with a bigger name and better reputation. Our smiling baristas will provide a stark contrast in customer service. B Cup, a restaurant/coffee, is up the block but closes in the early afternoon. Boris & Horton is a few blocks away on Avenue A with a very distinct theme, making it a destination specifically a dog coffee shop, where dogs are allowed inside segmented rooms. Must love dogs.
Flower Power is a local herb shop that caters to herbologists, naturopaths and others seeking homeopathic products. Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge will be less health and wellness focused while still offering options for the helath-conscious. Enchantments is the East Village’s Wiccan/Pagan/Witch store but is very specifically a shop only, not a lounge, with no consumables or other reasons for customers to hang out.
Given the foot traffic in this neighborhood, this “soft pedaled” theme will be extremely popular. And with Lucky right across the street -- did we mention that -- Abby’s friends will already be on this block of Avenue B.
WHY ABBY?
When Abby finally realized her life-long dream of opening a bar, she had never even managed one. She had no idea who would become her customers. Lucky has turned out to be 100% true to the “dive bar for grown-ups vision.”
Abby’s accomplishments include:
• Creating a true “community” of rabidly loyal regulars.
• Being profitable since day one.
• Attracting out-of-town visitors who consider Lucky to be a very specific destination.
• Navigating and surviving the whole COVID nightmare.
Abby’s sprawling and extensive social network, including makers and musicians, Wiccans and witches, herbalists and healers, Burning Man and the Manhattan underground, in addition to extensive contacts within the media, fuels the caché and appeal of this eclectic shop.
Operations
• Abby will manage and oversee the operations, monitoring staff, purchasing and customer service.
• Lucky’s accountant/bookkeeper/lawyers will be utilized.
• Baristas will be trained and provided by Brooklyn Roasting.
• A professional porter will be hired for daily morning cleanings.
• Palm/tarot/tea leaf readers will be available during certain hours.
Hours of Operation: 7am till 7pm to start. We will be serving coffee and espresso those hours and will likely be holding workshops and social events from 7pm till 9pm.
WHO IS HEKATE?
In Greece, Hekate was a Moon Goddess, one of the original trinity who were connected with the moon’s three phases and ruled heaven, earth and the underworld. During the Middle Ages, Hekate became known as Queen of the Witches. As the Crone, she blends with the Maiden and Mother as they blend with her.