Alicia's Coffee at the A.G. Gaston Motel — (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Today, Alicia’s Coffee officially opened its new location in the coffee shop at the historic A.G. Gaston Motel. Founded by Naimah Alicia Elmore and Rashad Harrell, Alicia’s Coffee emphasizes community service, ethically sourced coffee and meaningful connections.

Alicia’s Coffee now open in Birmingham

Last summer, the City of Birmingham’s Historic Preservation Authority began looking for an operator for a new coffee shop at the newly restored A.G. Gaston Motel. On Tuesday, February 25, the Authority celebrated a ribbon-cutting for the new tenant: Alicia’s Coffee.

“It is an honor to be downtown to help revitalize the community. We want to do great things in the neighborhood and in the community. I want our visitors to experience great customer service, a friendly environment, and to feel at home.

Certain things you cannot talk about in church, certain things you cannot talk about in school, but you can inside of a coffee shop. It is really a healing place, a safe place for people of all ages and races.”
Naimah Alicia Elmore, Co-Founder, Alicia’s Coffee

Founded in 2020 by Naimah Alicia Elmore and Rashad Harrell, Alicia’s Coffee is guided by the principle that “Coffee is a connection” and aims to serve communities through organic, responsibly sourced coffee and acts of community service.

“The city is so excited and pleased to welcome Alicia’s Coffee to the A.G. Gaston Motel to serve our residents and visitors. We again extend our gratitude to the Mellon Foundation for the support and investment in the buildout of the coffee shop to make it possible.”
Denise Gilmore, senior director of the Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity

The new Alicia’s Coffee is located inside the A.G. Gaston Motel at 1510 5th Avenue North and offers:

Three signature, unique coffee blends: Brazillian, Costa Rican and Colombian.
Lattes, smoothies, teas and a signature latte called the Room 30.
Pastries, muffins and baked goods from local African-American baker Amber’s Desserts.

Alicia’s Coffee is open seven days a week, from 7AM to 4PM. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on happenings.

Located in the historic A.G. Gaston Motel

(Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
(Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
(Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
(Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

The new coffee shop is located in the A.G. Gaston Motel, a historic property that was recently restored thanks to funding from the City of Birmingham and the Mellon Foundation.

Built in 1954 by legendary Black entrepreneur A.G. Gaston, the motel became a key meeting place during the Civil Rights Movement. Leaders like Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used Room 30 as the “War Room” during the Birmingham Campaign; in fact, it was there that MLK decided to defy a court injunction and be jailed alongside protesters—a move that led to his famous, “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”