ARLINGTON, Texas–Joshua Moore, a writer and coffee-lover at heart, was introduced to the world of coffee after applying for work at a coffee shop in hopes that working there would encourage him to write on his days off.
“I wouldn’t look at my schedule,” Moore said. “I would show up at 5:30 in the morning, [get] in uniform [and] ready to work, hoping that I wasn’t working so that instead I could go sit on the couch and type on my book.”
But during his time at Buon Giorno Coffee, owner David Clark left an impression on Moore.
“I think the best thing I got from him was the emphasis on building community when you build a coffee shop,” he said. “He would always say coffee is secondary to community.”
After deciding that he wanted to own a coffee shop of his own, Moore made sure to carry the sentiment of community into his work. He wanted a place where people could come in and feel accepted as they are. Some time after, Inclusion Coffee was born at 101 E. Abram, Suite 110, in Arlington.
“The message that I’m trying to get across is that I want the stories of people who come [into the shop] to be a part of our story,” Moore said.
Moore said he wanted to create a space where everyone feels welcome, and he cited an email he received from a customer as evidence of success.
“They talked about how they struggle with anxiety in public places, but as they walked in here they just felt like they left whatever was burdening them at the door,” Moore said. “That’s what I hope for.”
From bingo nights to artisan booths, Moore wants Inclusion Coffee to have all sorts of events for the community to get together and feel welcomed.
“Something about coffee and coffee shops,” he said. “There’s kind of a cool little glue that pulls people to sit together.”
Even the construction of Inclusion Coffee was an all-hands-on-deck affair. Moore’s daughter, Brielle, made sure she was included in the process by helping mix the concrete for the bar. She even operated the scissor lift to help Moore propose to his now wife, Mary, in the midst of the construction rubble.
“Brielle was here and operating the scissor lift, so Mary was super focused on her,” Moore said. “As we go up, I plug in the Christmas lights that say ‘Marry Me’.”
In the future, Moore said he hopes for Inclusion Coffee to be a venue for weddings. For now, people can book the space for private events such as birthday dinners or baby showers.
On top of being a place of inclusion and community, Moore wants Inclusion Coffee to always remain authentic.
“It’s really hard to put your finger on what makes that possible,” Moore said. “But everything you touch is a part of it.”
