Old Louisville Coffee Co-op — Restaurant in Louisville

The co-op is one of my favorite places in the city to spend time with friends, write, and enjoy amazing food/beverages! I love the inclusive environment the co-op and its' owners create. There is always awesome music playing that gets the people going (s/o to Israel for the impeccable music taste :p) No matter what vibe I intend to catch at the co-op for, whether it be to study or just to chill out, I am always left satisfied and in a better mood than what I came in with. I didn't even drink coffee when I started coming here but now I just can't seem to stop giving them my money. I am not sure if it's the bomb coffee (lavender-infused of course #ifykyk) or the warm atmosphere that I'm now addicted to. Whichever it may be, I'm here for it. Aside from being a dope coffee shop, the co-op serves as a place for various community organizations and organizers to provide robust offerings that ultimately improve the well-being of community members, many of who are marginalized at intersecting dimensions of their identity. I have gotten the privilege to form genuine connections with each of the owners and I am so grateful for them and what each of them uniquely contributes to the co-op. I appreciate all the work they continuously put in to make the co-op such a unique and inviting place. I 10/10 recommend and I tell people about this spot all the time. Based on the quality of products, atmosphere, customer service, and community offerings; the co-op is hands down the best coffee shop that I've been to in the city, country, and hell they are even at the top internationally. I am so thankful that a friend told me about this magical place a year ago because ever since then, it has been a second home. If you haven't been to the co-op, YOU'RE SLACKIN! :)

In regard to these ridiculous 1-star reviews related to cops, the only negative experience that I have had at the co-op was when there was a presence of people in uniform which was completely unrelated to the staff or the co-op as a whole. My sister and I visited the co-op expecting our usual warm and comfortable visit. However, soon after we arrived, men in uniform entered the space which immediately made us viscerally uncomfortable. We felt as if we had to police ourselves and couldn't enjoy the space as we usually do out of fear of what could be done to us. We ended up leaving to sit at Central Park. That should tell folks a lot if two women felt more comfortable sitting in Central Park at night than in a place we consider a safe space. While people should feel welcomed in communal spaces, the people who are leaving negative reviews need to understand the state of police relations within our city, especially surrounding people of color and people with LGBTQ+ identities which is the main demographic of OLCC's customer base. OLCC recognizes its target audience and the people they wish to serve and their needs. This community is alive and well within our city and OLCC does an excellent job at fostering community and creating a space for everyone to enjoy. They will do just fine as a business without the support of a few individuals who can't see how the unjustified harm that uniformed people have brought and still bring to members of our Louisville community and the lasting effect that harm has had on people and their ability to be comfortable in their presence. With that being said, I commend them for making the statements and taking the...

A “Revolutionary” Experience

Of the worst kind. I dropped in with my wife while we waited for our Old Louisville Walking Tour (which, by the way was great). I cannot say the same thing, however, for the Old Louisville Coffee Co-op. Heavy hipster vibe as you walk in, and I was probably the only person in there with a hair color actually found in nature. Still, I thought, hipster places are usually so crazy over the top about their food and drink that the experience would probably be good. After my wife ordered a hot ham and cheese sandwich, and I ordered a hot turkey sandwich we strolled around and immediately regretted walking in. Prominently featured in one corner are a number of books with titles such as Imperialism in the 21st-Century pictures of Lenin prominently featured. Forgetting for a moment that communist and socialist regimes have been responsible for literally tens of millions of deaths during the 20th century, the proprietors seem to be going exactly for that, a communist style establishment, because I can tell you the food was Stalinesque in quality and taste. The proprietors of this coffee co-op really give you the old Soviet bloc feeling because the food not only sucked, but you had to wait forever to get it. Perhaps most irritating about this place was that, juxtaposed with all the nauseating virtue signaling spread throughout the place, they were using Ziploc bags, plastic containers, and plastic drinking cups. Seems pretty bourgeoisie to me, and hypocritical to boot. Being eco-friendly is generally more expensive, but I’m sure these apparatchiks would not want to cut into their bottom line. Sounds suspiciously capitalistic. All kidding aside, this place really does suck, I would...

I once shared a glowing review of this place, but I’ve since removed it as the business has proven me wrong. OLCC is the rudest, most exclusive “inclusive” space possible. As a Queer Leftist, I expected to feel welcomed and safe in this space. Instead, I avoid it and advise others to do the same. All the tension of the high school clique that bullied you wrapped up in the experience of buying a coffee. And all of this can be yours! ✨

I’ve never been greeted with kindness. Customers are ignored and your patronage will be treated as an inconvenience. As someone who doesn’t drink coffee, I used to stop in while walking my dog purely to donate to their community gift card, which can be used by patrons who need some financial assistance. Not even during THOSE transactions was I treated with an ounce of warmth; I was just another interruption to the employees’ conversation. Businesses can’t survive without patrons, yet I’ve never gotten a “hello,” “welcome,” or “thanks for coming by.” It’s a club house for the owners and their friends, not a progressive business.

The food and drinks I have had were nothing special. Every Chai Latte I ever got was essentially a cup of oat milk with ice and about 1% chai mix. I never asked for a redo because the line/wait are usually extensive and I had already been treated like I was taking up too much space. Last thing I wanted to do at that point was “bother” the people I paid to make me this thing and acted like I insulted them by showing up at their business. Avoid at all costs. You will wait 10-15min for your order when it’s slow and 45-60min when it’s busy. Worse still, you may leave with your head hung low and feeling...