Coffee food trucks are moving to brick and mortar
In Wilmington, women are making their mark on the city’s coffee culture. Arie Kirsch, a single mother, turned her lifelong dream into reality in 2019 by launching Brighter Days Coffee truck. She had found depression in single motherhood and wanted to create a welcoming place for women and families. In November 2023, she opened a store in the Cargo District on Moss Street.
Amber Legates, another Wilmington entrepreneur, co-founded Spill Coffee Co. with a truck in 2019. The business is now a solo venture with her husband, Kyle. Her stand-alone shop on Kerr Avenue opened in 2022 and features a feminine flair with a signature hot pink color. Its “kisses mural” attracts Instagrammers; patrons can find portraits of “badass women” on the walls. She also offers lattes with CBD and turmeric.
“Embracing femininity is a fun aspect, but everyone is welcome,” Legates says.
According to a 2022 report by the American Restaurant Association, women still lag behind men in leadership roles in the food and restaurant industry; only 34 percent of North Carolina’s restaurants are majority-owned by women.
Both women opened their businesses just before the pandemic, yet persevered. They adapted to the new reality by switching to home deliveries and were prompted to open their brick-and-mortar shops
Looking ahead, Legates plans to add a signature pink mural and potentially open a second location, where she may start roasting her own coffee. Kirsch envisions hosting more community events at Brighter Days.
The women still drive their coffee trucks around town, serving beverages and goods through their windows. Both cater parties and park at community events, farmers markets and alongside other food trucks.
