The Commercial Appeal - Go Memphis
The Check In mobile coffee shop on a mission in Memphis
On Nov. 3 The Check In mobile coffee shop was parked across the street from the Christ Missionary Baptist Church polling place in Memphis. Friends and neighbors gathered, talking about the election and sipping iced coffees as they discussed the importance of the day.
The scene mirrored the vision Keedran Franklin had for his new social enterprise coffee shop.
“Coffee shops are spaces of creativity and community,” said Franklin, explaining he wants his mobile coffee shop to be a place for conversation and change.
This Memphis artist and activist launched his latest social enterprise in June as a mobile coffee food truck.
Originally, the plan was to have a brick-and-mortar location called Kaje’s Cup at 1798 Winchester first, then add multiple food trucks to the concept. Franklin said COVID-19 made him shift gears and start with a food truck. Most days, the mobile truck can be found parked in front of the location of the future café. Occasionally, the truck heads out to other destinations — like Nov. 3’s election day stop.
Franklin had never worked in a coffee shop before, but he had spent many hours in coffee shops.
“The idea came from sitting down with a business friend,” he said. “We were always meeting in coffee shops, so I said to myself, ‘Why not create my own?’ ”
Franklin took the concept of a gathering place one step further by making it a place to give people second chances and an opportunity to learn new skills. He said he has hired “released felons who have otherwise been excluded from economic opportunities.”
It’s not just the social enterprise focus that makes The Check In unique. It’s also the menu.
While traditional coffee shop items like espresso, cold brew and even a plain old cup of black coffee are on the menu, it’s The Check In’s specialty drinks that are one-of-a-kind.
Coffee beverages like Strawberry Mocha, Cinnamon Roll and Cinnapple Dream are delicious spins on classics. Makeda’s is a butter cookie-flavored coffee that pays homage to the popular Memphis bakery.
Franklin said the flavor development
is a collaborative effort for his team. A self-professed “candy corn freak,” Franklin made a homemade candy corn-flavored syrup to add to the Candy Corn Latte. It’s a menu item that he said will remain on the menu year-round. To promote being a gathering spot, The Check In’s team sets out café tables and board games at every stop, as well as at its “home” location on Winchester.
Special events, such as a comedy show roast on Nov. 8, happen often. Franklin hopes to open the brick-andmortar location by the end of the year. The building had been damaged by an arson fire in September so he is in the process of making repairs.
Franklin also hopes to eventually have as many as 10 mobile coffee trucks throughout Memphis.
“This is a safe place. Everyone is wel
come,” he said Franklin. “Our multicultural community respects each other, and The Check In is built from that community.”
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.