According to LA Eater, Issa Rae, the producer, and star of Insecure, teamed up with co-founders Ajay Relan and Yonnie Hagos and are opening up a second location for Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen in Downtown Inglewood.
What We Know:
- The Hilltop’s new restaurant opened its doors on Monday. Its located next to Inglewood City Hall and Stevie Wonder’s radio station, KJLH.
- Rae said she was inspired by the duos original View Park location which opened in 2018. “South LA made us — we all have roots here. I went to elementary school at Inglewood Christian right around the corner. It means everything to us to bring this to a neighborhood where we spent our formative years.”
- She also opened up about wanting a coffee shop. “Coffee shops facilitate productivity in so many ways, they facilitate collaboration. I personally have done all my writing in coffee shops. So it always disappointed me that there weren’t any that were Black-owned (or) people of color-owned in my neighborhood. Now to have the Inglewood location I was just immensely proud because it’s home. I just feel like it’s so important to have these spaces where you feel safe where you can be creative, and have a sense of comfort. To know that it’s your space.”
This is one of Rae’s many ways of showing her View Park Roots and helping build her community in the process. Earlier this year, she closed down commercial property which will serve as headquarters for Issa Rae Productions.