Books With Your Coffee? Woman-Owned Café And Bookshop Opens In Jersey City Heights

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A vibrant coffee and book shop has replaced a dry cleaners in Jersey City's tree-lined Heights neighborhood.

Owner Jacquees Peace Thomas held a grand opening Feb. 19 for Àbákẹ́ Books & Café, which has ample room to read, work, and sip.

Besides selling coffee drinks and baked goods, the spot is a bookstore that amplifies marginalized voices.

"It took a year to do it, but five years to understand that it was part of my purpose," said Thomas, in an interview at her shop.

Between tending to guests, Thomas explained where the name originated.

Àbákẹ́ was the name of Thomas' oldest known ancestor, who came to America on the last slave ship to Mobile, she said.

Thinking about her, "I got emotional today," she said.

The Heights section of Jersey City, atop the Palisade hills and west of Hoboken, lacks a mass transit line and has been able to preserve its neighborhood charm. Neighbors and members of the area's arts community filtered in to see the space.

"I'm really excited," said Councilman Jake Ephros, who represents Ward D. "This is already such a bright part of our community. We need more bookstores. I hope this isn't the last one. Peace is such a bright light."

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Thomas said she hopes to host community events and programs at the space.

She'll also be rotating the coffee served, which currently comes from Tanzania and Rwanda.

"The goal is to always have something from Africa," she said.

She said the beverages are "Coffee with Purpose," as 5 percent of the proceeds will go toward developing literary programs in the city.

"My aim is to add value to something most people do every day," she said. "Instead of just drinking coffee, drink coffee with a purpose."

The former cleaners.

Àbákẹ́ Books & Café is located at 2 Webster Ave. Find out more about it here.