Marches, MeToo Movements, and sexual-harassment victims coming forward — empowering women is clearly at the forefront of the American consciousness. This new coffee bar takes it one more step forward.
For Joanna Prisco, founder of The Good Witch, a Kickstarter-funded coffee-bar-in-progress that’s “owned, operated by, and dedicated to empowering women,” it was also becoming a mom that propelled her to do something more for women in her community.
“This is a time when we should be lifting each other up and celebrating the achievements of women. In thinking about the type of business I wanted to run, I felt like…I want to engage and support other women.” says Prisco.
In early 2018, Prisco took her pop-up concept, The Good Witch (named for The Wizard of Oz actress and former Westchester resident, Billie Burke) to Kickstarter. The campaign, appropriately launched on International Women’s Day, quickly raised $15,000 to open a brick-and-mortar location in Hastings-on-Hudson or one of the neighboring Rivertowns, slated to open in about six months.
You can still pledge money and receive rewards like a spot on the planned “Wall of Femme” or a kid-sized OG Munchkins shirt. “Up until now, I’ve been a one-woman show,” says Prisco.
“What’s been pretty incredible about the Kickstarter is that once people saw what I was doing and read about the idea, I’ve had so many individuals reach out to me wanting to collaborate, to help, to get involved in different ways.”
The space will be a family- and stroller-friendly all-day café serving hot and cold-brew Parlor Coffee, plus a full menu of breakfast and lunch items. “The items have been inspired by memories and travels abroad,” explains Prisco. “We’ve got different ethnic reference points sprinkled throughout.” From her pop-ups at the Hastings and Irvington farmers’ markets, the most popular treat has been the mini mochi cakes, sweet rice-flour cakes that are chewy, dense, and flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Focussing on empowering women for Prisco means creating a space that is women and family friendly, that helps women run businesses and supporting organisations that help to support women.
Read more on the Westchester Magazine.
