A hidden gem derived from the famous Manila paper

HERE is nothing that excites me more than a tiny nook in the middle of a busy city where I can spend time with my thoughts and complete long overdue work.

One of those hidden gems is the Brown Paper Project Café – a little hole in the wall coffee shop in Quezon City that screams both great coffee and community.

It is an escapist’s paradise and its owner, Keith Shy, believes that this was the very inspiration behind it, “We’ve always wanted to create a small commun i ty where people can enjoy a good cup of cof fee and take a break f r om t he pressure of day-to-day life.”

The inspiration behind the name of the café derived from the famous Manila paper and its versatility, “We envisioned it as something very simple, versatile, and most importantly, locally made.”

Keith says that this vision is the hand in hand with local coffee bean supplier under Kalsada Roasters. We believe in the advocacy of promoting local coffee.”

Ke i th , who only fell in love with coffee in late 2014, admits that at first it was intimidating to open the café but through the # StopBadCo f f e e moveme n t by Miko Simangan and Kevin Fortu, Keith realized that the cause of propelling a great cup of coffee as opposed to just getting caffeine whenever and wherever made him get over his fear. He also adds that having a cup of coffee in Brown Paper Project Café is more of an experience than simply “The biggest advantage of having an open bar is that the customer can join in the process of making one. They can see the process of preparing the coffee and they can get involved in it. They can be as involved in it as they can since we listen to their preferences,” the young entrepreneur says.

Aside from being a staunch supporter of supporting locally made coffee, Brown Paper Project Café is also known for its community. Keith says, “We understand that people tend to keep to themselves and only converse with people they know. However since our place is very intimate, we need to change the mindset and create a space that’s conducive for socializing.”

By being “active owners,” Keith, along with his partners, introduced customers to one another to forge familiarity and a sense of kinship. Soon the environment of community developed and Keith is happy to note that now it is an engaged café for both old and new customers which they can say is their biggest achievement.

To know more about Keith, like the Brown Paper Project Café on Facebook and Instagram or visit them at 75b Rosa Alvero street, Xavierville subdivision, Loyola Heights, Quezon City