Not only is the long anticipated Bronx Museum café (XM Café, which will feature coffee from Bronx based Morris Perk and keeping things local!) opening next Wednesday, September 9th but the Museum is also extending their hours and open on Wednesdays again after many years of being open only 4 days a week.
A local café is something many in the area have been clamoring for and XM Café delivers not only as a home grown café by a Bronx-based cultural institution, but will be supporting two mom and pop shops in our borough.
Although Starbucks is opening up just blocks away in Melrose, many folks have said they’d prefer to support a local café versus a corporate giant. The survey is still open until Friday to let us know of you’ll support mom and pop shops versus corporate giants!
Morris Perk, the popular café which is currently popping up all over our borough until it opens its brick and mortar location, gets their special blend of coffee right here in The Bronx from Cerini in the heart of Arthur Avenue aka the REAL Little Italy of NYC.
This is a beautiful synergy of 3 Bronx institutions collaborating together to offer a unique experience that a chain can’t offer.
XM Café will also have sandwiches, salads and pastries to go along with that great Morris Perk Bronx Blend many have grown to like and will be operated by Fountain House, “…who will engage locally sourced vendors and hire local Bronx residents through their nationally recognized employment program.”
Fountain House, an organization founded right here in New York City back in 1948 and was created with the belief that people living with mental illness, “can be active participants in their own and each other’s recovery…” has helped many such Bronxites.
“Fountain House has touched my family’s life in a deeply personal and powerful way. When my brother was diagnosed with a mental illness five years ago, my family’s world was turned upside down. My mother and I did not know where to turn for help in understanding the unique challenges my brother would now be facing.” said Samelys Lopez, an active Bronx community resident.
““Since mental illness has such a negative stigma in our communities, we felt very isolated back then. Luckily, all of this changed when we found Fountain House.” added Lopez.
Lopez continued about her family’s and brother’s personal journey with Fountain House:
“At Fountain House, my brother is part of a nurturing community that I credit with giving him a newfound sense of confidence, belonging, and hope for his future. My brother says that Fountain House has become his home away from home.
“What I love most about Fountain House is that they make members feel valued because they are called on to help run the clubhouse with everything ranging from crafting newsletters, cooking nutritious meals, and organizing holiday events for members in addition to their families.
Fountain House not only cares about their members, they also care about the families of individuals recovering from mental illness to make sure they have a support network to give their loved ones the courage to share their stories to combat stigma.”
“I believe the arts are a great way of breaking down barriers so that people can speak more openly about the importance of community mental health so I am thrilled that the Bronx Museum of the Arts and Fountain House are partnering on XM Café!
If you or a loved one is recovering from mental illness, please consider enrolling in Fountain House – it has made a difference not only for my brother, but for our family as well.”
So you see, this is not your run of the mill café but one with a big heart in our community.
As if the news of the café opening couldn’t get any better, The Bronx Museum of the Arts will now be open on Wednesdays extending their days and hours of operation due to community response.
The new museum hours along with café hours are as follows:
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11AM to 6PM and on Fridays from 11AM until 8PM.
The Bronx Museum, along with XM Café will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
The museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse and hope to see you all there!
Oh and did we mention that The Bronx Museum said:
“In celebration of the café opening the Bronx Museum will offer the first 50 guests a free small coffee, cappuccino or espresso on Wednesday September 9, Thursday September 10 and Friday September 11.”
Who’s needs Starbucks when you have such a great local space!
