It’s been such a gift to spend so much of the last few years of my life as a regular at
@makecoffee . I first poked my head in sometime in 2023, on the hunt for a place away from home to pass afternoons working amongst other people. Make fit the bill perfectly: a contemplative, relaxed atmosphere, respectful and interesting patrons, and truly the best coffee and tea you’ll find in Winnipeg (including my favourite shincha via
@o5tea , as well as delicious ginseng and yujacha). My many afternoon visits also unfolded as I was navigating recovery from a pretty deep mental health crash, and having such a peaceful but engaging place to pass the hours was truly a balm for my soul during that time.
My first date with
@brittanymci was at Make. It was an especially silent evening in the cafe despite there being a lot of other people present; she made me cry while laughing way too loudly. We celebrated milestones and anniversaries there. And over time we got to know Jae a little bit, too. He even helped us out during our search for our first home together, all while slinging outstanding espresso tonics and, more recently, matcha tonics.
I remember walking in one day and seeing that Jae had recently acquired a brick, which sat near the menu and the register, emblazoned with the words ‘I like an arch’ — being a huge Louis Kahn fan, I laughed so hard. There’s no other cafe in the world where you’d find something like that. It was the best.
And that really sums it up: you won’t find another cafe like Make. It is a locus of not only fine coffee and tea, but also of design, and culture, and creative people. A third space truly unlike any other. It was the best.
Jae: huge congratulations on 13 years. While we’re so sad to be saying goodbye to Make, we’re looking forward to seeing you around the neighborhood, and to hearing about what you get up to next. Thank you so much for all you’ve done. It was — is — so meaningful, so impactful, and so precious. Gosh it was fun.
