Luna Coffee's remodel for inclusive space

Hi, my name is Matt and I am the new owner of Luna Coffee Bar in Great Falls, Montana. Although we just celebrated the coffee shop being open for 3 years, I just recently purchased it February of 2023. Since February, we have been working hard to provide great product and more importantly, space for our community. In July of 2023, Phoenix Pearl Tea Company joined us in our space. Phoenix Pearl Tea is a trans ran company that has been making teas in Montana for 10 years. I love, LOVE, coffee and tea and I love people and community even more so. Business keeps growing but our need to expand our space and make it more inclusive is growing faster. As the only two queer owned and operated businesses in town, we have experienced a strong need in Great Falls for a space that is accepting and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, people of all races and backgrounds, and a space to grow community and interests that are currently not represented here.

I was born and grew up in Great Falls. After graduating from high school, I moved away for 18 years. I moved away for college but more importantly to find myself and my people.I am beyond grateful for the amazing people and experiences I had in those 18 years, I would not trade them for anything. However, in 2019 everything in me was telling me to move back to Great Falls. I moved back to be closer to family and to explore this overwhelming need to be here. In August of 2022, I started working part time at Luna Coffee Bar. Although I was excited to open another coffee shop someday, I had no intention of owning one just yet. The universe had other plans. As the previous owners saw my excitement for coffee and people mixed with how much I cared about the shop, they offered to sell the shop to me in November of 2022, with the sale finalizing in February 2023. With this brief history, all-in-all, young Matt growing up could have really used a space to be. A place where I did not have to worry about hate, or judgment. A space that supported different groups with different interests and hobbies that I could explore. I grew up very privileged with supportive family and friends...and I still struggled even to have a space I could identify with. I am not alone in this struggle in Great Falls. There are populations of people who live here who are not and do not feel represented, so they stay to themselves or struggle to connect with others and are isolated. Since November, I have been overjoyed to watch Luna Coffee Bar transform into a place for everyone. A place that resonates at a personal level with people. This is why Luna Coffee Bar and this remodel are so important to me. We are already 3/4 of the way through this remodel and are so close to finishing it up. The money you donate will go towards paint and to finish buying some more furniture. If we have extra, we will be purchasing new light fixtures to replace all the florescent lighting. We will be using half of the donations to continue our events and add more (below is a list of our current events). I am also very much open to ideas for events and/or other ideas for our space to be more inclusive.

Current Events at Luna Coffee Bar: All free

1. Weekly Wednesday night arts group with local artists, writers and musicians.

2. Weekly Wednesday night casual chess. Everyone from beginners to experienced all playing chess.

3. Monthly Drink-n-Draw with local artists. Come learn how to draw, or refine or skills or to just have fun. Educational and social.

4. Monthly LGBTQ+ Book Club

5. Monthly Sidewalk Smoke Outs. Grab a cigar and joins us on the stoop to hang out.

6. Poetry Slams

7. Story Slams

8. Coming soon, Game and Movie nights

Thank you, I am beyond grateful for you generosity and support. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Matt Pipinich

Luna Coffee Bar