Tucked in a small gravel lot at 3784 Pearl Road, Psychopomp Cafe stands out from some of the construction work, big-box stores and vacancies . The retro-looking food truck sports a string of Pride flags and hanging blue glass evil eyes, and it offers new things to the neighborhood: non-alcoholic cocktails and a Greek coffee menu.
Owner Chrissy Clowtis stays busy behind the ordering window each day. She’s also busy down the street, preparing to open a brick-and-mortar Psychopomp location at 3804 Pearl Road.
She hopes the new shop location will create a gathering space for the surrounding Brooklyn Centre neighborhood.
“This is a vibrant, diverse community, in this whole area,” she says, gesturing out the window, pointing at a Family Dollar across the street. “Everybody just sees this. And this is shameful.”
Coupled with another Family Dollar and a Dollar Tree, both less than one mile away, Clowtis says the dollar stores have been predatory to the surrounding community.
Places like Psychopomp Cafe can change that.
“I want to be somewhere where people can finally come together and start building their community,” she says. “Imagine the power of all those people in one place together all the time.”
Clowtis has been running her food truck since 2022, first at festivals and events, then at Shaker Square from November 2023 up until this May, when she moved to Brooklyn Centre. She moved from the East Side to the West Side after developer Kosta Almiroudis approached her with the aim of bringing a local cafe into his Lofts on Pearl building.
Clowtis’s dream of running a coffee shop goes back to her youth, spent with her sister in local Arabica shops in Willoughby, Shaker Square and Coventry. The two dreamed of opening their own cafe.
“We always wanted to have a cozy place,” Clowtis says. “My sister died in 2003. I never really gave up on it, and actually, it became more important to do it. It evolved in my head: what I wanted, what I needed it to be, what I think people in the community need it to be — like, that totally changed.”
A big change came during the coronavirus pandemic, when Clowtis was inspired to incorporate non-alcoholic offerings into her concept’s menu.
“There were so many people having trouble drinking, like, so much. Along with a very large amount of addiction in my family, I just thought, What a freeing thing, to be able to have cocktails, to be able to feel like it’s still that ritual, there’s layers of flavor, there’s a whole culture around it — but we can take the alcohol away from all that,” Clowtis says.
Beyond coffee and mocktails, expect a food menu of Greek specialties, reflecting Clowtis’s heritage. The shop’s upcoming location will feature a menu of mezedes, skordalia, tzatziki, soups, bread, olives and more. It will also offer baked goods from Despina’s Bakery in Lakewood.
The Greek influence doesn’t stop at the food and drink menus; Clowtis wants her culture to inspire Psychopomp Cafe’s vibe, too — bringing a more laid-back environment into the space. She plans to host “Unplugged” social nights and crafting events for people to detach from work schedules.
“Slow down. Live your life. The rest is all going to come into place,” Clowtis says. “You don’t have to live to work. I want people to make connections. Even if you’re just by yourself, slow down, turn it off.”
5 Must-Try Drinks from Psychopomp Cafe:
Drinking Chocolate ($7)
Described as “thicc,” this chocolatey beverage isn’t overly sweet, but it’s delightfully creamy and can come mixed with chai and Earl Grey teas.
Espresso Freddo ($6)
A popular drink in Greece, this refreshing, light-as-air whipped espresso is served cold.
Aegean Latte ($7)
This light, flowery latte is a more adventurous pick off of Psychopomp’s menu. It incorporates orange blossom and mastic gum, which tastes piney and herbal. “It’s really difficult to describe,” Clowtis says. “Everyone kind of pulls their own notes out of it.”
Nana’s Handbag ($9)
On the zero-proof cocktail side of the menu, Clowtis pointed out a favorite that she made by accident. “I just was sitting here one day, throwing things together, and I tasted it, and I was, like, ‘I just made a Werther’s Original,’ completely unintentionally,” she says. “I had to call it [Nana’s Handbag].”
Hibiscus Livener Punch ($9)
Combining Three Spirits Livener with hibiscus, lime, ginger beer and hot honey creates a perfectly summery drink that’s been a favorite with customers, Clowtis says.
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