About Lem's Cafe
Our Mission
To foster a community-driven environment of peace, accessibility, and innovation while supporting and growing small businesses.
Coffee by Ember Goods, Olympia, WA.
Photo Credit: Amanda Ogilvie
The inspiration behind Lem's Cafe
In July 2020, my husband and I moved to a new city for graduate school. Without a community awaiting our arrival, we moved from Salt Lake City, Utah to St. Louis, Missouri. To say moving during a pandemic was an adventure is an understatement. Once businesses could safely accommodate guests, I set off to find a safe coffee shop to call home. Along the way, I found Blueprint Coffee and Shaw’s Coffee. These places and the people within them welcome each guest with grace, love, and opportunity.
It’s my absolute goal that Lem’s Cafe is a vessel for community, memories, welcoming, and of course, a really good cup of coffee!
About The Reed Family
Allow me the honor of introducing my great-grandparents, Lem and Annie Reed—both with remarkable stories in their own respects. Growing up in Bardstown, KY, my family told stories of "Uncle Lem" greeting guests and playing the banjo at My Old Kentucky Home. State Park. He was featured on postcards so guests could read the story of and share about the African-American musician who graced the grounds with the acoustics of his banjo.
While Lem played the banjo, Annie worked as a nanny for the Hurst family. In 1917, while traveling from Louisville to Bardstown, the train carrying Annie, Mrs. Hurst, and her infant baby crashed. Moments before the wreck, Annie was forced to switch train cars to accommodate a white passenger. The Hurst family and their friend died in the collision. However, the move saved Annie's life and five generations of Reeds—including mine!
The last surviving child of Lem and Annie's 13 children, passed in 2023. Her name was Catherine Reed Bryant, "Aunt Cat." We heard stories from her about our ancestors at our annual Reed Family Reunions held on the MOKH grounds.
Lem Reed, 1877-1955
Photo courtesy of The Reed Family, direct descendants of Lem Reed.
Our Values
Lem's Cafe believes that coffee, community, and creation are a triple force for good. Coffee brings people together, starts the day, and vessels peace. Community is essential for the development of humans. Both local and visiting communities will find a safe and welcoming community when interacting with our cafe. When peace and support of the community are accessible, people have an opportunity to create the world they wish to live in.