With Juneteenth fast approaching this upcoming Sunday, a record number of outdoor festivals, parades, and local concerts are set to take place across SoCal. In Inglewood, this year’s festivities promise to be a little different thanks in large part to Sip & Sonder, the destination coffee shop at the heart of Market Street’s business district.
“[On Juneteenth] We’re going to be partnering with the Lakers and the Sparks for a double dutch tournament!” gushes co-founder Amanda-Jane Thomas. “Whether you can actually throw down and jump in or you just have those memories of being on the playground or watching kids on the block partaking, everyone can celebrate. It’s centering that joy, getting straight to the heart of it.”
Regardless of skill level, all are welcome, as instructors will be on site. Thomas continues, “Where we are now in 2022 [when considering social justice] is that joy and moments of rest are always going to be important and that’s something that we will never not hold space for.”
“It is one of the days that we get to really come together and celebrate as a broader community within Inglewood so it’s a special day,” shares Shanita Nicholas, co-founder of the buzzy coffee shop. “This is our third big celebration that we’ve had. It’s just a really special moment.”
With both the Lakers and the Sparks being long time supporters of the shop, Sip & Sonder’s co-owners treasure the relationship they have built with the franchises and appreciate the time and resources that those brands invest back into the community.
“Our community deserves to have vibes in the shop and we’re able to provide that,” Thomas shares.
Sip & Sonder will kick off the Juneteenth weekend by launching a new monthly music series, Electric Universe.
Held on the third Friday of every month, the music activation will debut on Friday, June 17th from 9p-1a, featuring music curated by DJ This Moment and an amazing food truck experience just outside the coffee shop’s front doors.
“Folks may want to be in a space with others and have that moment to let their hair down but not necessarily want to be in a club or turnup. There’s space for it all,” says Thomas.
Another monthly music activation which debuts on June 25th, Sounds From the Lab Presents: Vibrational Coffee, is designed to ensure that their signature concept remains at the forefront of what they do.
After learning to roast their own beans during the pandemic, Nicolas and Thomas now own their entire roasting production – from developing new roast profiles to shipping their beans internationally. In that spirit, both entrepreneurs wanted to tie in new entertainment around their coffee roasting process.
“One of the things that we’re very keen on, and astonished by, is just how sensory the roasting experience overlaps. It’s coffee, so there’s taste and there’s smell, and what that experience is can be amplified by sound,” begins Thomas, when explaining the concept behind their new activation. “So we developed this thing called Sounds from the Lab where we have different kinds of programming related to music, that’s inspired from the lab.”
Sounds From the Lab Presents: Vibrational Coffee is a DJ set curated by DJ Ash, held the last Saturday of every month from 9am-3pm kicking off June 25th.
“It’s regular coffee house vibes in the afternoon, but with a DJ. Maybe you have a seat, maybe you don’t, or maybe you just grab your drink and go,” explains Thomas. She smiles widely before closing, “It’s a nod to say, ‘Okay, we made it y’all. Let’s end the month on a chill note.”
