Millie’s: A Community Coffee & Art Lounge in NYC

The Journey of Millie’s Coffee Co.                                 

A dream brewed in the mountains of the Philippines, now finding a home in the heart of Queens.

Some dreams start quietly, as passing thoughts, “one day,” and “maybe someday.

For years, the idea of opening a coffeeshop was exactly that for our family. A soft wish tucked between everyday life. My sister Kamille, my dad, and I would toss it around over family dinners or during long drives: “One day, we’ll open our own coffeeshop.”

What Millie’s Stands For

We’re not career restaurateurs or hospitality veterans.
We’re just two siblings who fell in love with coffee and the connections it creates.

Millie’s will be that place. A coffeehouse that blends coffee, art, and music in a way that feels both intentional and alive.

Crafted With Intention

From carefully roasted coffee to house-made syrups, every ingredient is chosen with purpose.

At Millie’s, we believe great coffee is built on thoughtful ingredients and intentional sourcing. Many of our syrups and flavor components will be made in-house to ensure quality, freshness, and control over sweetness and flavor.

We are especially committed to using ube products sourced from the Philippines and supporting Filipino-owned producers whenever possible, allowing us to highlight authentic flavors while supporting businesses connected to the culture that inspires many of our drinks.

Our roasting arm is called Kapétid Roasters, a play on the Tagalog words “Kapatid,” meaning sibling, and “Kape,” meaning coffee. It represents not just our bond as brother and sister, but the spirit of family, collaboration, and togetherness that coffee brings to every table.

We’ll be roasting beans from the Philippines, a country often overlooked in the global coffee scene, to highlight its bold, unique flavors and the people behind them. Alongside these Philippine-origin coffees, we’ll also roast carefully selected beans from other regions around the world to showcase the diversity of global coffee. 

The Space We’re Creating

Millie’s isn’t just a coffeeshop; it’s a living canvas.

Kamille’s murals will fill the walls with color and meaning, while local artists will have a space to share their work. Music, from intimate acoustic sets to laid-back DJ nights, will fill the air. We also plan to host community events, coffee tastings, and creative gatherings that bring people together through culture, art, and conversation.

We imagine a place where:
Musicians share their sound,
Artists share their vision,
Neighbors share their stories,
And everyone finds a little piece of home.

We want every visit to Millie’s to feel like a conversation. Comforting, genuine, and full of heart.

The Soft Bar Concept

As well as a coffeehouse, Millie’s is also an experimental soft bar, a space for new concepts and creativity around espresso-based concoctions. Think espresso tonics, nitro cold brew mocktails, and seasonal drinks inspired by the flavors of the Philippines; bold, bright, and balanced.

Our goal is to use this phase to perfect our craft and understand what our community loves most. With your support, we plan to evolve that soft bar into a full espresso cocktail and mocktail lounge, blending coffee and mixology to create something truly unique in Queens.

Imagine sipping an espresso martini infused with local flavors or a handcrafted mocktail that pairs perfectly with a piece of art on the wall. As day turns to night, Millie’s will transform from a daytime coffeehouse to an evening destination. A place to gather, unwind, and connect in new ways.

Your support will help make that next step a reality.

Why We’re Asking for Your Help

This Kickstarter is about more than funding a coffeeshop; it’s about finishing a dream built by family, community, and passion.

Your support will help us bring Millie’s to life as we prepare to open our doors.
Construction of the coffeeshop is already complete, and we’re now preparing for our opening. This Kickstarter will help us finish the final details and build the foundation for our first months of operation.

Your support will help us:

• Install signage and finishing design details
• Furnish the coffee house to create a warm and welcoming space
• Build our opening inventory of coffee, ingredients, and supplies
• Support the early development of Kapétid Roasters so we can begin sharing our first Philippine-origin coffees
• Coffee packaging for our first roasted beans

Every dollar goes toward creating a space that celebrates culture, art, and connection. Right here in Queens.

Join Our Story

Millie’s started as a quiet dream between siblings.
A dream sparked by mountain coffee in Buscalan and one that grew into something much bigger: a belief that connection can start with a single cup.

We’re not just opening a coffeeshop.
We’re building a place that feels like family. Where stories are shared, creativity thrives, and every visitor feels at home.

When you support Millie’s, you’re helping us bring that vision to life.
You’re helping us roast our first Philippine beans under Kapétid Roasters, open our doors to the neighborhood, and create something that stands for community, culture, and care.

Because in the end, coffee isn’t just a drink.
It’s a story. One we hope to share with you, one cup at a time.

Welcome to Millie’s Coffee Co.
Home of Kapétid Roasters. Built by siblings, shared by all.
 

Stretch Goals

If we surpass our funding goal, these additional milestones will help us expand what Millie’s and Kapétid Roasters can offer.

$3,500 — Expansion of House-Made Syrup Program

We will already be offering staple house-made syrups such as ube, pandan, and coconut as part of our everyday drink menu. Reaching this milestone will allow us to experiment with more complex and seasonal flavor creations, develop new recipes, and invest in additional ingredients and preparation tools to support small-batch syrup production. This gives us the flexibility to introduce rotating specialty drinks inspired by Filipino flavors and other global influences.

$5,000 — Outdoor Café Seating

Reaching this milestone will allow us to add outdoor tables, chairs, and planters to create a welcoming sidewalk seating area for guests to enjoy their drinks.

$7,500 — Kapétid Roasters Coffee Expansion

This goal will help us source additional green coffee beans from the Philippines and other specialty coffee regions to expand our early Kapétid Roasters offerings. It will also allow us to explore more unique and lesser-known varieties, including Excelsa and Liberica, coffees that are closely connected to the Philippines’ rich coffee heritage but are rarely featured in specialty coffeeshops.

$12,500 — Espresso Lounge Program

This milestone will help us expand our soft bar concept into a fuller espresso lounge experience, including additional glassware, menu development, and evening drink offerings.