coffee isn’t just about caffeine, it’s about culture, said gizem salcigil white, who has been working to introduce americans to the ancient art of turkish coffee for the past decade.
area residents can now sample those efforts at their newly opened coffee shop in old town alexandria, va.
Reading: Old town coffee shops
but it was a long and windy journey from turkey to the old town.
In the midst of starting a successful business, White, known as the Turkish Coffee Lady, battled an aggressive form of breast cancer shortly after having a baby and then watched the coronavirus pandemic close her shop in Tysons.
But neither a personal health crisis nor a global one could slow her down, a drive she attributes to her passion for cultural diplomacy and her desire to be a role model for her daughter.
“First of all, being a mother was my strength,” White said of her daughter, now 5, who she joked is “in training” to be a future businesswoman.
white also gives credit to the community. “They told me not to give up,” she said. “And also, of course, I am a very productive person. You know, if one door closes, another door opens.”
That first door was actually on a truck that traveled across the US. uu. and the world, with volunteers handing out thousands of free cups of Turkish coffee. In 2012, White created the Turkish Coffee Truck, which began touring area universities and other sites in D.C.
“I realized that Americans love their morning coffee and the Turks have this 500-year-old coffee culture, so it was a very important communication tool to bring people together,” white told wtop.
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began to receive attention from the media, including the washington post, washingtonian and bbc, who dubbed her the lady with the turkish coffee, a name she adopted, and was even recognized by congress for fostering friendship between the united states and turkey.
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his truck eventually traveled up and down the east coast and abroad to the netherlands, belgium, france and canada.
“It was amazing feedback, you know, because people wanted to learn more about the culture, they wanted to try the coffee, but it wasn’t accessible because you can’t really see Turkish coffee on menus, you can’t really drink it at the airport or in a cafe or in a restaurant or in a hotel. so I realized, you know, this was my passion, and I wanted to educate the public about my cultural heritage,” he said.
“That’s where I decided to build a small business, because I wanted to build something for my little girl.”
The result was a brick-and-mortar store that opened in 2017 at the Tysons Corner Center, “which was an instant hit because it was like a community center,” white said. “people from all walks of life with diverse backgrounds, people who are familiar with coffee or new to coffee, just wanted to have a cultural experience.”
However, just after the store opened, White was diagnosed with breast cancer and forced to leave for Turkey, where her family could help care for her daughter while she underwent chemotherapy and surgery.
Meanwhile, his team kept business at Tysons. After six months, he returned to the USA. uu. for radiation therapy and began considering a second location at dulles airport.
but then came another health hurdle: the pandemic, which forced her to close the store in May 2020.
As a cancer survivor, White was in a high-risk category, further limiting what she could do during the COVID-19 lockdowns. so she adapted and modified her business model, launching online “coffee conversations” with other women.
“so many women had to close their businesses, had to quit their jobs, had to stay home with their children or homeschool their children, so everyone was struggling in a different way. so I wanted to bring people together virtually,” she said.
those online chats led to the turkish coffee lady foundation, which supports other women entrepreneurs and promotes gastrodiplomacy. white has also started his own line of coffee, which is offered through walmart and other retailers, each blend named after a heritage site in turkey, such as istanbul (traditional blend) and cappadocia (cardamom flavor).
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white won a federal grant from the restaurant revitalization fund and searched for a location to open another store.
“and I found my dream… a cafeteria in the heart of the old town. It’s such a beautiful place,” said White, who has lived in Virginia since 2008. “And I wanted to build a cultural house, not just the cafeteria, a place where, you know, cultures would meet, people would … savor the moments. , I would just experience something new, something unique.”
Turkish coffee is certainly unique. in fact, it is recognized as the world’s first coffee preparation method, which was introduced to Europe centuries ago.
“The first coffee shop was opened in Istanbul in 1554,” said White. “There were 800 coffee shops in Istanbul alone in the 16th century, so coffee is a very important part of…our society and of course it’s a pleasure to introduce this 500-year-old beverage to new audiences.”
It’s not just about the drink; it is quite an experience. Turkish coffee is unfiltered, making it “strong and flavorful,” White said, and should be sipped from the side of the cup. this helps with the ritual of interpreting the remains of ground coffee. White’s shop offers traditional coffee fortune readings, with proceeds going to his foundation.
The shop also offers pastries such as baklava and vintage items from Turkey, and features the work of artist Hasan Kale, who creates “microscenes” with coffee grounds.
the store officially opened in January. 22 at 1001 King Street with Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson and other city officials at the grand opening.
“As an entrepreneurial woman and an entrepreneurial mother, it was very difficult, you know, staying strong up to this point,” said White.
but seeing lines of people excited to walk into your store “is very rewarding.” DC. Mayor Muriel Bowser has even declared Dec. 5 world day of Turkish coffee culture in the district.
“and I think this is the beauty of being a social entrepreneur. It’s not just about, you know, having a business or making money. it’s about connecting cultures… through cooking, through the arts,” said white. “and I am, again, very proud of our team, my family, our community that we stuck together during these difficult times.”
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