kindness and mischief coffee cafe highland park los angeles rose park roasters compelling and rich take flight sprudge

Kindness and Mischiefโ€”K&M for shortโ€”is the newest cafe to hit the booming Highland Park scene. In a sea of coffee shops, K&M stands out even before you step inside. With its vibrant turquoise front above a bright red door and a classic 1920s facade left by a jewelry shop, this โ€œpeople-driven, quality obsessed, and community-centeredโ€ cafe is doing something different to stand out in cafe-saturated Los Angeles.

A focus on the community is important for a new business in the neighborhood; Highland Park has been undergoing drastic changes, so itโ€™s important for a space to cater to both longstanding residents and new arrivals. Diverse and culturally rich, the local business makeup also reflects its residents. K&M owner Monique โ€œMoโ€ Maravilla comes from a Filipino background; her family moved to the area when she was just 3 years old. โ€œI always loved the warmth and small-town feel of Northeast LA, and the green hills,โ€ she says. โ€œI had very specific intentions for the shopโ€”I wanted a very community-centered space, one where I could hold music and art shows as well as other events to serve the area. I also knew I wanted to be in a dynamic neighborhood, not in an area that felt already set in its ways and culture.โ€

kindness and mischief coffee cafe highland park los angeles rose park roasters compelling and rich take flight sprudge

Along those lines, Maravillaโ€™s mission is โ€œreaching out and [making] a positive contribution to the community,โ€ a sentiment K&M backed up on its first day open, donating the entire dayโ€™s proceeds to the nearby Monte Vista Elementary School. โ€œWe sent some kids to outdoor science school!โ€ Maravilla says, excitedly. โ€œWeโ€™re also going to hold art and music shows, charity fundraisers, screenings, and other community gatherings.โ€ And in turn, the neighborhood has supported K&M since even before Maravilla opened its doors.

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After Kindness and Mischief lost an early investor, the undeterred Maravilla set up a Kickstarter and, with generous community help, was able to raise enough money in just one month to open shop. โ€œWe knew the community was super supportive, but we had no idea how much of an overwhelming response we were going to get,โ€ she says. โ€œThe sheer love and sincere help people gave us was amazing. It took a month of planning, and even then it felt like we werenโ€™t prepared. That was one of the hardest months of my life since my emotions became tied to the amount of money we raised that dayโ€”and asking people for money is never easy.”

kindness and mischief coffee cafe highland park los angeles rose park roasters compelling and rich take flight sprudge

The campaign was a wild success, raising over $30,000 in 30 days.ย A one-month home run of a Kickstarter campaign is rare, but visit Kindness and Mischief and you can see why it garnered such support. With records playing, an inviting color scheme, cheery baristas, and even a Mischief Libraryโ€”where people โ€œleave a book, take a bookโ€โ€”the cafรฉโ€™s mellow vibe makes the place feel open and accessible to everyone. โ€œThe Mischief Library is something super-fun that my architect and I put into the storefront plans from the very beginning,โ€ says Mo. โ€œWe loved the idea of sharing and passing things on to strangers.โ€ Another feature that adds to the cafeโ€™s welcoming vibe: โ€œRibbon of Light,โ€ a mural of a painted rainbow ribbon by Dominique Ovalle.

Coffee here hails from a variety of roasters, most of which are local, all carefully crafted on a La Marzocco GB5 or served drip from a Fetco 2132, and ground on Mahlkรถnig grinders. โ€œI love the idea of being a platform for that roaster that people may or may not have heard of yet, while also showcasing my hometown,โ€ says Maravilla. Most recently the cafe has featured Rose Park Roasters from Long Beach, Compelling and Rich, and newcomer Take Flight Coffee, the new roasting company from Deaton Pigot, formerly of Toby’s Brooklyn. Kindness and Mischief also serves tea from LA local Art of Tea, which Maravilla details as โ€œsix hot teas plus one iced tea, while also experimenting with kegging and tapping teasโ€”right now we have a fizzy liquid Jade on tap.โ€

kindness and mischief coffee cafe highland park los angeles rose park roasters compelling and rich take flight sprudge

A specialized food program is also in the works. K&M have partnered with Kristine de la Cruz from Crรจme Caramel LAโ€”which is soon to add a second location, called FrankieLucy Bakeshop, in Silver Lakeโ€”to create and pick some Filipino-inspired treats, inspired by Maravilla & de la Cruz’s shared background. Among the creative pastries to come are a tart calamansiย mascarpone puff pie, ensaymada scones, and ube sweets. Vegan and gluten-free treats are available too, like the vegan buko (coconut) pandan chia-seed pudding. A selection of dairy-free milks are offered at no extra cost.

Standard espresso drinks will, of course, be available year-round, but a selection of seasonal specialty drinks should also help differentiate K&M. This summer they’re offering a Cinnamon Cold Brew Float: cold brew with a touch of almond milk, paired with a scoop of house-made cinnamon ice cream. Tea is also subject to some Kindness & Mischief, like the Earl Grey Lavender Latteโ€”a house-made Earl Grey lavender syrup turned into a latte and garnished with dried lavender buds.

kindness and mischief coffee cafe highland park los angeles rose park roasters compelling and rich take flight sprudge

In the future, Maravilla plans to keep things fresh with food pop-ups, while continuing to seek out new roasters, and maybe even start a roastery herself. Her creation is a product of the community it servesโ€”weโ€™re looking forward to watch K&M as it grows.

Kindness and Mischief is located at 5537 Figueroa Street, Los Angeles. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tatiana Ernst is a Sprudge staff writer based in Los Angeles. Read more Tatiana Ernst onย Sprudge.

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