Mestizo closing after nearly two decades of community building
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey / Axios
Mestizo, a beloved coffeehouse in Salt Lake City's west side, plans to close this month after nearly two decades.
Why it matters: The shop was among the city's first to blend coffee culture with Latino expression, becoming a hub where activists, artists, college students, and civic leaders converged.
What they're saying: Co-owner David Galvan told Axios that the business struggled to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic, but he's proud it lived up to its mission of serving west-siders.
- "It's never really been what I call profitable," he told Axios. "It's been something that we were willing to sustain."
Context: Historically, redlining, I-15 and railroads have split the city's east- and west-side communities.
- Mestizo, with a location that attracted residents from both sides, was among the few spaces that aimed to bridge that divide, Charlotte Fife-Jepperson, a Salt Lake City school board member and west-side resident for over 50 years, told Axios.
What they're saying: "It was just an amazing place to be and to see all of these community builders and thinkers in this space," Fife-Jepperson said. She co-founded and once ran the West View, a nonprofit publication focused on west-side issues, down the hall from Mestizo.
- The coffee shop enabled her to meet people from other cultural backgrounds and "made me realize that it's OK to be out of your comfort zone," she said.
Catch up quick: The gathering spot, which opened in 2008, became known as a space for community organizing, open mics, poetry readings, showcasing artwork and music, educational workshops and even tango dancing.
- For instance, Mestizo hosted listening sessions in 2022–23 around a now-abandoned, controversial proposal to expand I-15 that threatened to displace nearby homes and businesses.
Zoom in: Patrons also frequented Mestizo for its espresso-infused horchata and Bowl of Sol, a Mexican-inspired mocha spiced with cayenne pepper.
Context: The business was started by screenwriter and director Terry Hurst, Chicana artist Ruby Chacón, Dan Stanger, Mary Ann Villarreal and NeighborWorks Salt Lake.
- The coffee shop's name refers to a person of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry.
The bottom line: Following Mestizo's lead, a growing number of community-oriented coffee shops have launched on the west side, including Coffee Culture and unCafecito SLC.
- "It was a pioneer of spaces to come," Fife-Jepperson said.
What's next: The cafe will host a farewell celebration Sept. 27.