St. Louis Magazine: How locally owned coffee shops are still building community during the pandemic

When St. Louis went into lockdown last March, coffee shop owners were faced with how to adapt, like many small businesses. But the pandemic has been particularly challenging for local coffee shops, many of which don’t have drive-thrus like their corporate counterparts and typically serve as community gathering places. 

COMA Coffee co-founder Macy Holtzman aimed to find a way to remain part of customers’ daily routines, translating the social experience of a coffee shop into an alternative reality that met safety protocols. “Coffee is essential, and people aren’t