Public Coffee Co., 182 Hyde Park Ave. in Jamaica Plain, affiliated with a Wesleyan start-up church, held its official grand opening this morning - with several people standing outside protesting Wesleyan positions on LGBTQ people and abortion.
The coffee shop is owned by Amanda Oicle, the leader of the Public Church, which says it plans to make the small coffeehouse the hub for community life at Public Church.
The Wesleyan Church says it opposes "gender noncomformity" as part of a "state of depravity" and "a violation of the sanctity of human life," although it does allow that transgender people should be allowed to have food, clothing and shelter - except they should be barred from public institutions so as not to offend good Christians. The church is currently rewriting its official position paper on homosexuality, but says the new position will still continue to hold that "sexual relationships between persons of the same sex are immoral and sinful." The church opposes abortion and says that while violence at abortion clinics is wrong, sit-ins inside them are OK.
As four protesters held signs outside, a friend of Oicle's came out to talk to a reporter and photographer. She said that the coffeehouse is not affiliated with the church, that it's unfair to protest a locally owned small business because of the owner's religion.
The coffeehouse's incorporation documents, filed with the Secretary of State's office, list Public Church Boston as its "registered agent."
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That happened in Belmont
By Ron Newman
Tue, 02/14/2023 - 1:03am
to the Studio Cinema.
Sometimes the conversion goes the other direction. The Coolidge Corner theatre in Brookline was originally built as a church.
But what the commenter is referring to is churches that rent a still-operating movie theatre on Sunday mornings for their services. The Somerville Theatre in Davis Square used to have one, maybe still does.
Churches at Drive In Theaters
By HenryAlan 2.0
Wed, 02/15/2023 - 9:28am
Yeah, I think this is fairly common. Where I grew up, in Southern California, there were lots of churches that operated out of drive-in theaters on Sunday mornings, including some that went on to become mega churches.
I'll stick with Dunks.
By scollaysq
Sat, 02/11/2023 - 6:52pm
If I want coffee, I'll just get a coffee somewhere I'm not becoming part of something. Same reason I've never been to Chik Fil A.
Every know anyone who worked for Dunks?
By SwirlyGrrl
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 10:50am
That's why I won't go to Dunks. My son worked there two summers.
You’re still part of something else …
By Lee
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 11:35am
…. when you buy at Dunkin’s.
Ever wonder why their employees panhandle at work or what their working conditions are?
Where their profits go?
I avoid Dunkin’s for those reasons and because they sell just about nothing of nutritional value.
They wanted to move into the food desert I lived in a few years ago even after residents specifically said no big chains like Dunkin’s in the new low income building going up. They got in, no problem.
registered agent
By Vicki
Sat, 02/11/2023 - 7:22pm
You can't say that a church (or any other organization) is your business's "registered agent" and expect me to believe that the business isn't affiliated with the church.
You can't say that your business will be the "hub" for community life at a church, and then expect anyone to believe that there's no meaningful connection between the two.
They have many ….
By Lee
Sat, 02/11/2023 - 7:54pm
…. erroneous beliefs, it seems.
God given exceptions to ethical rules?
Even if I agreed with their belief, which I don’t, I would still condemn the them for dishonesty and agree with the protesters on that.
I hear that
By Royale with Cheese
Sat, 02/11/2023 - 8:10pm
Chick Fil-A is really tasty, but I'll never know because I refuse to eat there.
I understand that their founder is ultra-right wing and anti-LBGTQ.
I have a funny cartoon panel in mind on the matter.
A bunch of chickens are flapping around in the parking lot of Chick Fil-A, going in circles because they only have their left wings. Someone asks what that's all about.
One of the chickens replies, "The boss insists on only using the "right wings."
If I were to unknowingly eat at any other such establishment, I'd want to know.
I was shopping at Dollar Tree recently. I bought a bag of spicy snacks. The brand name is Brim's. I brought them home and ate some, reading the bag, and noticed a website mentioned. The company is owned by a right-wing church of some sort in Memphis, TN. They're into reprogramming, if I read right. After reading that, I threw away the rest of the bag. No thank you!
Public Coffee "Co" claiming 501(c)3 status?
By jshore
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 1:26am
If "Co" is aka for "Company," there needs to be a name change if Public Coffee is claiming 501(c)3 status as a church. "Public Living Rooms" are ineligible for non-profit status, and Public Coffee Co is misrepresenting itself to the public. They need to pony up their taxes like any business. If I went into this place unaware and purchased items, then found out after the fact that it is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church, I would feel hoodwinked and be justifiably upset.
501(c)3
By SwirlyGrrl
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 10:52am
It doesn't just apply to churches. It is an IRS designation for a nonprofit organization, which can include your local swim team, farmers market organization, historical society, etc. in addition to your local church.
The key being that it is non advocacy and non political. That's 501(c)4.
Non-profits orgs can own for-profit companies
By Ron Newman
Mon, 02/13/2023 - 11:07am
For example, the non-profit Poynter Institute owns the for-profit Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
How's their coffee?
By g
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 11:57am
How's their coffee?
Bitter
By BostonDog
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 12:03pm
.
On par …
By Lee
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 1:30pm
…. with their Koolaid.
Are these the same people...
By Don't Panic
Mon, 02/13/2023 - 12:10am
Are these the same people who opened a Coffee Shop on Huntington Avenue on the same block as The Mission Bar and Grille and held prayer services on Sunday nights I think. If so they didn't last long.
There problem was they didn't make decent coffee and there is a Dunks a block away around the corner. 7-11's coffee was better than theirs IMHO.
They won't last anyway.
By anon
Mon, 02/13/2023 - 8:56am
They won't last anyway. Nothing lasts there.
Waltham has a church
By John Labarre
Mon, 02/13/2023 - 9:05am
Waltham has a church affiliated coffee shop, Common Good, that tries to fly under the radar as well I believe.
Anyone know anything about the Farmer’s Horse …
By Lee
Wed, 02/15/2023 - 11:34am
… across from Mass Ave station on the Orange Line?
I don’t but do want to know.
A nice place with okay espresso, but it has an odd vibe.
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