Kevin McLaughlin, owner of Larema Coffee House, threw a party Saturday night in downtown Rocky Mount to celebrate the Washington Street shop’s first five years in business.
In 2019, McLaughlin found beauty and opportunity awaiting in the heart of the city. And patrons, eager for somewhere inviting to meet friends for coffee and a bite to eat, found their to way to his shop and kept coming back, bringing friends and family with them.
“Downtown Rocky Mount is a beautiful landscape of history which deserves to be honored, while simultaneously ripe for a new chapter to be written,” said McLaughlin. “And the passionate hands of even a small number of people willing to work together and push things forward can truly make a huge impact in breathing new life and light into our downtown.”
To those considering opening a business downtown, McLaughlin’s advice is simple: “I say go for it!”
With vision, hard work and dedication, opening a successful business downtown is possible, he said.
In recent years, McLaughlin has expanded his business operations, opening another coffee house in Wilson and a brewery-restaurant in the Rocky Mount Mills. He has succeeded in an industry where the rate of failure in the first five years is five times higher than its success rate. His downtown business also survived the coronavirus pandemic, which forced restrictions on gathering.
When asked for advice he would give a struggling new business owner, McLaughlin said that starting out is always difficult, with many lessons learned on the fly.
“The key is to stay consistent and resilient through the ups and downs, which to me, is only doable if you truly believe in the value and importance of what you are creating,” McLaughlin said. “We could never have predicted a pandemic six months after first opening, but since we knew Larema was established for the very important mission of serving the community as a connector and coming together point for all people, we had to keep things going and show up for the community especially during hard times.”
McLaughlin said the word “larema” means “my friend” in the dialect spoken by Acholi people of Uganda. Besides offering coffee, food and craft beer to his customers, McLaughlin said he sought to create an inviting, safe environment that people would want to come to, a place for people to meet their friends and a place to find new friends.
Kellie Riegel of Rocky Mount has been a Larema customer since the beginning. She said the welcoming community there kept her coming back.
“I enjoy coming here to connect with other people. It’s a good place to come and talk and meet people. I enjoy that. There’s always a friendly atmosphere. It gives me a break in my day to come and get some coffee,” said Riegel, adding that she works from home and that Larema is her go-to place when she needs to “get out of the house.”
McLaughlin said he was greatly appreciative to his loyal customers.
“I am grateful beyond words for every person who walks through the doors of Larema Coffee House and Larema Beverage Company,” he said. “I prefer to see our customers as our honored guests and each one a crucial member of the community. These spaces are about much more than drinks and foods. It is about seeing one another, showing appreciation and love for one another if even in a nod or a hello, which builds social capital, strengthens the bonds of community and reminds us we are not alone in this often challenging journey of life.”
McLaughlin, 38, had a background in community development and public administration before open Larema in September 2019. In 2020, he opened a coffee bar in downtown Wilson. The Larema Beverage Company, a brewery and restaurant, opened at Rocky Mount Mills in December 2023. All three locations hold public and private events.
“Our plan for the future is to continue fostering the many relationships and collaborations necessary to keep up the important work of holding safe spaces for community to happen, while serving our guests with the greatest degree of quality, respect and appreciation possible,” McLaughlin said.
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