R&Beans Coffee is Brewing Community, Creativity and Connection in Avenel

AVENEL, N.J. — For husband-and-wife team Shahidah and Dez, coffee has always been more than a morning ritual. Long before opening R&Beans Coffee, weekends were spent in neighborhood cafés discussing wedding plans, finances and dreams for the future.

Those conversations eventually became the foundation for their own business.

The Black-owned coffee shop officially opened in Avenel on Aug. 17, 2024, but the journey began years earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic. After plans to purchase a home fell through in 2020, the couple redirected their savings toward building something of their own.

“We wanted to create generational wealth,” Shahidah said. “I started thinking about retirement and our future family. I realized I needed another source of income,  something we could invest in for our future.”

For Dez, the business was inspired by something much simpler: the comfort of coffee shops.

“Coffee and conversation have always been our love language,” he said. “Before we got married, we were always in coffee shops planning our wedding and talking about life. When the world reopened after COVID, those spaces just didn’t feel the same anymore. That’s when we realized it wasn’t just about the coffee. It was about the atmosphere.”

Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, they decided to create the kind of coffee shop they wanted to experience themselves.

Building a dream, one lesson at a time

Like many first-time entrepreneurs, Shahidah and Dez quickly learned that opening a café involved far more than serving great coffee.

“We literally built this place brick by brick,” Dez said.

During construction, they discovered some of the materials they had already purchased did not meet city building requirements. A decorative brick wall had to be redesigned because exposed brick wasn’t approved for certain interior surfaces.

“There were a lot of things we didn’t know,” Shahidah said. “We’re first-time entrepreneurs. Every loss is a lesson.”

Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, the couple embraced each obstacle as part of the learning process.

“Just jump,” Shahidah said. “You’ll figure it out.”

More than a coffee shop

While customers visit for handcrafted espresso drinks, lattes and specialty beverages, Shahidah and Dez hope their Avenel café offers something more meaningful than coffee. They intentionally designed R&Beans Coffee to be a welcoming place where neighbors can meet, work remotely, network, study or simply slow down.

“We’re not selling you on us,” Dez said. “We’re creating a space that hopefully inspires you, connects you with someone or gives you a place where you’re comfortable.”

That vision has become a reality.

The couple has watched customers hold business meetings, collaborate on creative projects and build friendships inside the café. They regularly host community events designed to bring people together beyond the coffee counter.

“It’s beautiful when we see people making connections here,” Shahidah said. “That’s what fills my heart.”

Keeping it local

Supporting other small businesses has also become part of the R&Beans story. The café sources its beans from a local New Jersey husband-and-wife roasting company that has become more than just a supplier.

“They’re our mentors,” Dez said. “If we need help with something, they’ll literally come to the shop and help us work through it.”

Signature drinks inspired by creativity

Although the menu changes with the seasons, one drink has become synonymous with R&Beans Coffee: the Butter Bliss, a butterscotch caramel latte. Many of the café’s seasonal beverages are inspired by desserts, travel experiences and spontaneous ideas.

The couple is preparing to launch an Italian-inspired summer menu inspired by a trip where they became engaged.

“I’ll randomly think of a drink after seeing a dessert or tasting something,” Dez said. “Sometimes our best drinks happen by accident.”

Creating opportunities

For Shahidah and Dez, one of the most rewarding parts of owning the business has been creating opportunities for others. Several employees have been able to take vacations or make significant purchases thanks to their jobs at the café, milestones the owners say remind them of the responsibility they carry.

“It’s rewarding, but it’s also scary,” Dez said. “People depend on us now.”

At the same time, finding and keeping employees has been one of the shop’s biggest challenges.

“The workforce has changed,” Shahidah said. “People aren’t staying at jobs the way previous generations did. We’re still learning how to navigate that.”

Growing beyond coffee

As R&Beans Coffee approaches its second anniversary this August, is organizing a community block party featuring local vendors, music, family activities and giveaways. They’re also expanding into new creative ventures, including merchandise, wellness programming and a YouTube docuseries focused on relationships, vulnerability and personal growth.

“I think this business is like a tree,” Dez said. “There are so many branches that can grow from it. We don’t know exactly what they’ll be yet, but we’re intentional about letting them happen naturally.”

The couple hopes those new ventures continue to strengthen the sense of community they’ve worked hard to build in Avenel.

For anyone who hasn’t visited yet, they have one simple request.

“Come experience it for yourself,” Shahidah said.

This story is part of NJ Urban News’ Black Business Spotlight, uplifting Black-owned excellence across New Jersey. Know a business we should feature? Email us at editorial@njurbannews.com