A forthcoming Native American-owned coffee shop hopes to make it easier to support indigenous communities

Nashville is slated to get a new Native American-owned coffee shop and marketplace, called Neon Moon. Its mission is to make supporting the indigenous community as easy as buying a cup of coffee.

It’s the project of an East Nashvillian, who’s well known by her first name alone — Gowa.

“In some ways, I chalk it up to Dolly Parton,” Gowa says. “We don’t have to say Dolly Parton to know which Dolly you’re talking about.”

Gowa came up with the idea for Neon Moon after the summer protests in 2020.

“Throughout the course of that year, as racial injustice and social justice all started to become a focal point, that’s when I started to really think about myself and my heritage and the best way that I could lead our community forward,” she says.

She felt as though people wanted to support businesses run by women and people of color. But when it came to supporting the I in BIPOC, she felt people weren’t sure where to turn.

“I think that people have wanted to make efforts to heal universally, but I think that without having proper representation for these other communities, there hasn’t really been an opportunity for people to do that.”

So she decided to create that opportunity with Neon Moon — a shop that will sell Mayan coffee, and goods made by Indigenous communities.

“I envision mostly that it’s going to feel like a western saloon, giving Nashville a more authentic way to express cowboy culture,” Gowa says. “It’s not all just rhinestones. It’s not all just country music history. But cowboy culture in particular has deep Indigenous roots.”

The space will also have a production studio that can be rented out to help encourage more representation in the entertainment industry. Gowa says that’s especially important in Tennessee, which has no federally or state recognized tribes.

“This is going to be an opportunity for us to actually create authentic representation for the Native and Indigenous peoples that are all throughout Tennessee,” she says.

Neon Moon coffee will be served at the Graduate hotel this weekend. Listen to the full interview with Gowa above.