Los Angeles’ Skid Row, notorious for its lack of basic amenities, now offers a surprising haven: a coffee shop staffed entirely by women transitioning out of homelessness.
A Second Chance Brewed Daily
The Made by Downtown Women’s Center Cafe provides not just a caffeine fix, but a pathway to stability for women rebuilding their lives.
- The cafe, operated by the Downtown Women’s Center, has served the Skid Row community for over 15 years.
- It offers job training and supportive housing to women experiencing homelessness.
- Approximately 5,000 people are served annually through the center’s programs.
- Twenty-three thousand women experience homelessness nightly in Los Angeles, often due to gender-based violence or income disparities.
Walking into Made by Downtown Women’s Center Cafe and Boutique feels like stepping into any other independent coffee shop in downtown Los Angeles. Smiling baristas take orders, patrons work at tables, and a display case showcases pastries from Homeboy Industries. But this cafe’s story is different: it’s run by women who have experienced homelessness themselves.
Q: What makes this coffee shop unique?
A: Unlike typical businesses, Made by DWC is entirely staffed by women who are rebuilding their lives after experiencing homelessness, offering them job skills and a supportive environment.
LaShornda, who has worked at the cafe for about four years, exemplifies this transformation. After receiving supportive housing from the Downtown Women’s Center, she now lives independently with her children and recently earned a promotion. “We always get second chances. And it was a struggle,” she recalled, reflecting on her journey to full-time work and housing. She now trains other women at the cafe, providing first job opportunities to those who have survived life on the streets.
“I love it here… I love to see some of the women that come in here every day and I know [their] drinks,” LaShornda said.
Aprons hang on the wall at the Made by DWC candle-making studio.
The Downtown Women’s Center serves roughly 5,000 individuals annually, providing permanent supportive housing and job training. The cafe itself began 15 years ago, according to center officials. “It’s not your normal image of providing services for people experiencing homelessness,” said Amy Turk, the Downtown Women’s Center’s CEO. “Twenty-three thousand women are experiencing homelessness on any given night in Los Angeles. And primarily the reasons stem from gender-based violence, domestic violence and incomes that have never been on par with men.”
Alexandria Piñeda, another employee, found herself unhoused on Skid Row about five years ago after relocating from Texas and losing her job during the pandemic. She connected with the Downtown Women’s Center and found support. “The Skid Row community was so good to me,” Piñeda said. “You know, they really looked out for me. And it’s nice for them to have something nice. For them to be able to escape the madness on the street.”
Alexandria Piñeda in her office at the Made by DWC studio in Downtown L.A.
The cafe trains dozens of women each year. Alongside coffee, customers can purchase handmade candles—scents include Halfmoon BAE and Joshua TEA—and bath salts created by the trainees under the Made by DWC brand, just a few blocks away.
“A lot of them are stuck in survival mode because they’re straight off the street when they come to us,” Piñeda explained. “But they’re with me for four months. So I kind of have the opportunity to train them out of that… It completely changes their life and I get to witness that. All the time.”
How to visit:
MADE by DWC Cafe
438 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles
Hours: Mon – Fri, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The monthly Sip & Shop takes place on the last Friday of each month. This month’s event will be held on Jan. 30 at the resale boutique:
Made by DWC Resale Boutique
325 S. Los Angeles St, Los Angeles
Hours: Mon – Fri, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
