Café Rica Turns 10 in Battle Creek: A Decade of Coffee, Community, and Culture
Ten years. That is ten years of early mornings and long days. Ten years of first dates, study sessions, and quick coffee runs that turned into real relationships. Ten years of building something that is bigger than a café.
This anniversary is a celebration, but it is also a moment of gratitude. Because the truth is simple: Café Rica does not exist without Battle Creek. Every guest, every conversation, every event, every partnership, every person who has brought a friend through our doors, you have helped shape what Café Rica has become.
If you have ever felt welcomed here, if you have ever found community here, if you have ever seen our space transform into something bigger than coffee, this blog is for you.
How it started and why it has lasted
Café Rica began with a simple idea: create a space where quality coffee and genuine hospitality meet real community. From the start, we wanted to be the kind of place people could count on. Not only for what is in the cup, but for how they feel in the room.
Over the last decade, we have learned a lot. We have grown our team, strengthened our systems, and raised our standards. We have continued refining our craft and our service because consistency is what earns trust. And when you run a community-centered café, trust is everything.
A café that refuses to sit on the sidelines
We believe a coffee shop can be more than a place to grab a drink. It can be a gathering space. A platform for culture. A home for conversation. A place where people feel safe to show up as themselves.
That belief is why events are not an afterthought for us. They are part of how we live out our commitment to Battle Creek. Over the years, we have hosted events that celebrate art, music, entrepreneurship, local food, and meaningful civic connections. These events are not just fun. They are a form of community investment.
Here are a few community experiences we are proud to have brought to life:
Tacos and Tunes Music and Food Festival, 2018
In 2018, we hosted Tacos and Tunes, a music and food festival designed to bring people together through great energy, local flavor, and shared experiences. It was one of those events that reminded us how powerful it is when a city shows up to celebrate itself.
Que Calor: Quarterly Art Show
Que Calor became a recurring art show that gave local creatives and community members a reason to gather, connect, and experience the arts in a welcoming environment. It helped reinforce what we believe strongly: art belongs in the center of the community, not on the edges.
Breaking Bred Bazaar: Downtown Open Air Market
The Breaking Bred Bazaar brought a downtown open air market vibe to Battle Creek, creating space for small businesses, makers, and vendors to connect with the community. Markets like this are about more than shopping. They help build local pride and strengthen the ecosystem of entrepreneurship.
Movies in the Square, 2021
In 2021, we hosted Movies in the Square, creating a family-friendly community night that brought people outdoors, brought people together, and gave downtown Battle Creek a moment of shared joy.
The Harvest Table: Farm to Table Dinners
With The Harvest Table, we created farm-to-table dinners built around seasonal ingredients and local Michigan farms. These dinners represent what we love: intentional hospitality, curated experiences, and celebrating the people who grow and produce food in our region.
Slam Poetry Night, January 31
Most recently, we hosted a packed Slam Poetry Night presented by the NAACP of Battle Creek, in partnership with BC TRHT and the Art & Cultural Collective of Battle Creek, with proceeds benefiting SAFE Place of Battle Creek. Youth and adults shared spoken word centered on civil rights, voting rights, civic engagement, and racial equity. The room was full and the energy was real. It was community building through art, and it reminded us why we do this.
A decade of recognition, because Battle Creek showed up
We are proud of our first ten years and we are not going to downplay what this community has helped us build. Over the last decade, Café Rica has been recognized by respected organizations and local voters for the work we do and the standards we hold.
We take awards as accountability. They are not just plaques. They are proof that our team shows up, stays consistent, and keeps pushing to be better, for our guests and for Battle Creek.
Here are a few highlights we are especially proud of:
-
Certificate of Pure Achievement, Pure Michigan, Award of Inspiration (2025)
-
Good for Michigan, People’s First Economy, Governance Award (2023)
-
Love Battle Creek, Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce (2025), Best Restaurant with Vegan and Vegetarian Options
-
Business of the Year, Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce (2022), Small Business
-
Best Coffee Shop in the Area, Battle Creek Enquirer, People's Vote (2025)
-
Best Coffee Shop in the Area, Battle Creek Enquirer, People's Vote (2018)
- Media feature: Café Rica was featured on Under the Radar, highlighting our story and our commitment to community building in Battle Creek. View it HERE!
If you have supported us, voted for us, shared us, posted about us, or brought a friend in, you played a part in every one of these moments. Thank you.
Celebrate with us: 10 year anniversary merch
Now is the perfect time to rep Café Rica.
Our 10 year anniversary merch is a celebration of what we have built together. It is a way to wear the story, support a local business, and help us keep investing in the community events and partnerships that make Battle Creek stronger.
Shop the 10-year anniversary merch online HERE!
If you are deciding what to grab first, here is the best approach:
-
Choose the item you will wear weekly, your go to hoodie, crewneck, or tee
-
Grab a gift for someone who loves Café Rica but never buys anything for themselves
-
Get something that travels, so Café Rica shows up across Battle Creek and beyond
What is next
Ten years gives us confidence, but it also gives us responsibility. We plan to keep raising the bar. Expect more community events, more partnerships, and more experiences that are rooted in culture, connection, and real purpose.
If you want to be the first to hear about upcoming events and special drops, join our email list through our website. That is where we share what is coming next.
Join the email list and shop merch here: www.getcaferica.com
Thank you, Battle Creek
Whether you have been with us since the beginning or you just found us recently, thank you for being part of the Café Rica story. We are proud to serve this city, and we are proud to keep building with you.
Pura Vida. To us, Pura Vida means living with gratitude and choosing community on purpose. It is the commitment to show up with warmth, consistency, and real connection, and to keep building something meaningful in Battle Creek for the next ten years and beyond.
Leave a comment