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Worthy Convos: Mia Moss, East Side Pride, and Coffee
More than the caffeine it provides to fuel our early mornings and late nights, coffee is a relationship stimulant. We catch up with old friends over coffee, we meet professionally over coffee, and we form new romances over coffee. Mia Moss, owner and founder of Black Coffee in East Fort Worth, understood the power of the coffee bean and wanted to bring its deliciously caffeinated magic to her community. Located in the Polytechnic Neighborhood, the award-winning coffee shop has been serving up good coffee and good culture since 2019.
What is the origin story of Black Coffee?
Black Coffee was birthed from the lack of spaces to congregate and the lack of good coffee options. In Black and Brown neighborhoods, you don’t see Starbucks or even other good coffee shops. We don’t get healthy grocery stores; we don’t get healthy food options. I love coffee and would get on the freeway to get a local cup of coffee. My family and friends encouraged me to create the space and the coffee shop. I did it, opened right before COVID, and we’re still here!
Photo courtesy of Mia Moss
Black Coffee emphasizes an “exclusively Eastside culture.” What does that mean to you and Black Coffee patrons?
The term is “Eastside Exclusive,” and it’s based on our location and our commitment to helping grow the East Side of Fort Worth. I believe our culture is like no other, and everyone’s invited to soak it up when they visit the shop.
You went from barista to business owner. Describe that journey.
There are big gaps in between me being a barista and owning Black Coffee. My first job out of high school was at Seattle’s Best Coffee in DFW Airport. I worked there for a few years. I am an introvert, but working at the airport and serving coffee allowed me to come out of my shell. I found it easy to talk to people, and I loved making something that helped get them through their day. After that, I began working for Fort Worth ISD at an alternative school. I would travel with my husband, and we would visit local shops. I never dreamed of opening a shop, but the opportunity came, and I dove headfirst into learning the business of coffee so I could create a “third place” on the East Side for our community to utilize for meetings, hangouts, study sessions, etc.
Photo courtesy of Mia Moss
What is your sourcing and roasting process?
I currently work with a roasting company that has access to quite a few farms across the globe. I wanted access to specific farms to create our blends. The goal was to have beans from Africa in both of our signature blends because coffee originated in Ethiopia. With the partnership we built together, I was able to create the blends myself and have them roast based on what I believed would work best to create delicious specialty drinks.
What do you love about your location near Texas Wesleyan University?
I love being close to the next generation of creators, politicians, CEOs, [and] leaders. Working at an alternative school really helped me see how important pouring into students is for them to be successful in whatever it is they intend to do with their lives. I think I have an opportunity to be part of their growth in some way by simply giving them a space away from campus to clear their minds, study, or just hang with their campus buddies. I also have an opportunity to engage with them on campus through student events. And I have two boys that can work with me and get a good glimpse of what college life is like.
Photo courtesy of Mia MossWort
When you aren’t at work, where can you be found?
I’m usually working at Yeager building on the East Side. It is the home of Franklin & Anthony (my husband’s company), DIG Contracting, and DFW Beauty Studio. It is where my family is, and they have welcomed all of us to work from this building. I also set up in other coffee shops to work because I love coffee.
If Fort Worth were a coffee, what would it be?
What a question! Fort Worth is a different coffee depending on where you are. I will say it is all of your usual suspects. A great iced oat milk latte, a really creamy cappuccino, and a strong black coffee to deal with the issues we still have to overcome as a city.
