His Portland coffeeshop has always been cool. But the “Buy Black” surge after George Floyd’s murder was fleeting
Portland’s Deadstock Coffee started out as a tiny coffee cart. Its buzz as an innovative coffee destination emanated from self-taught roaster, owner, and former Nike shoe developer Ian Williams (order the “Luther Vandross” and you’ll get a velvety, lavender-infused mocha). Business surged after the death of George Floyd and the Oregon city’s protracted protests. “Buying Black” was all the rage, Williams told Eater. Frustrating and perverse as that is, it didn’t last too long for the average Portlandia consumer and internet shoppers. He said white-guilt sales have waned from an exhausting peak of 1,800 coffee bags online in a day (plus in-store sales and drink-making) to a more manageable level. What will the future look like? Does a parade of Black death make temporary customers, allies, and business partners? Williams’ wholesale business went up, and he appreciates it. But he’s also asking himself: “Are you doing it because you like the coffee or because you want to say you have Black-owned coffee?”
