East Rock | Economic Development | Food & Drink | Arts & Culture | Culinary Arts
Shawn Murray Photos.
Sultan Thahir was teaching film at a New Hampshire college when he became disillusioned with academia. He left that job on a mission to teach the arts in a way that was financially feasible for all who were interested. So he opened a cafe.
Nestled on the corner of State Street and Hine Place, the aptly-named Gather East is fast becoming a cultural center in New Haven's East Rock neighborhood. Its collection of house blend teas, coffee from a small-batch family roaster, and Middle East-inspired snacks are a welcome addition to the area. It sits at 952 State St., in the former home of State Garden restaurant.
From its welcoming sign—a nod to the I-Ching—to its schedule of artist pop-ups, it’s a throwback to the belief that conversation, coffee, and a few eager artists can foster creative community, even in a global pandemic. There's some social justice baked into its model, with discounts for people on Medicaid and EBT, and a portion of proceeds that go toward the Palestine Children's Relief Fund and Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís.
But a cafe wasn’t what Thahir had in mind to start.
When he set out to find a location to host free arts classes and events, he found little interest from landlords, he said. They worried that he wouldn't be able to cover rent, on the rise across the city, in such a space. They were skeptical when he laid out a vision of a small, not-for-profit arts incubator on a shoestring budget.
“To be realistic [my original idea] wasn’t really gonna bring in a lot of money,” he said. “So I said, ‘What if I do a coffee shop by day and arts events in the evening?’ And they seemed more onboard with that.”
The modified business model allowed him to strike a balance between his passion and the practical considerations involved in running a business. Then he realized he liked the business part, too.
“As I got into it, I began to care more deeply about the ingredients," he said. "The bagels should be really good. The cream cheese should be really good.”
Gather’s menu features standard coffeehouse fare like bagels and cream cheese, and also unique items like warm naan with za’atar, a Turkish filled flatbread called pide, and a saffron-pistachio latte that comes highly recommended. Thahir views the cafe, like the arts events, as a way to build community.
“It’s about getting people in here, but also having them enjoy being here,” he said.
Monica Li (at right) and a customer. Shawn Murray Photos.
Though neighbored by a number of other coffee shops, Gather is already a popular destination for East Rock residents. This past Sunday, the cafe hosted the Coffee Cozy Yarn Pop-up, run by Monica Li. Li is a New Haven resident who heard about Gather online. She found the space after posting about her pop-up on the internet forum Reddit.
“Several people suggested Gather, so I reached out,” she said. Thahir welcomed her. The turnout for the pop-up and the friendly vibe of the space has kept her coming back.
“My customers love it here and so do I,” she said. Sunday was her third weekend hosting at the cafe. Nearly everyone who stopped in came by her table to chat and check out her wares which included yarn, candles, and hand-knit mug sweaters. Some customers even came by with their own yarn and needles.
Li’s pop-up is one of many events Gather has hosted in its first two months of existence. Just inside the coffee shop’s front door, on its chalkboard-painted walls, is a giant hand-drawn calendar listing all the events for the month. Nearly every date is occupied with events ranging from yoga and meditation to trivia and a jazz open mic.
One of the Gather’s first events was "Better Than Therapy," a comedy show hosted by Yale Law School student Alphonse Simon. Simon, who lives nearby, discovered Gather in its early days, walking by as its artificial ivy-adorned stage was under construction. He immediately got the idea to reach out to Thahir, who was receptive to the idea.
Thahir’s favorite events have been game nights hosted from East Rock resident Ariel Unger and meditations hosted by Raffa Sindoni. Both, he said, work to build the type of community he wants to see at Gather. Dungeons and Dragons campaigns may not what he had in mind when he set out to open a business, but the fact that his cafe has become a place where people feel welcome to play (or pitch a D&D night to begin with) is exactly in line with the ethos behind the venture.
“I think community building has been so, so successful,” he said. “During Covid, especially, people just wanna hear good news, like ‘Hey there’s a sweet show happening nearby.’ This place has such a small footprint—there’s only so much I can do, but I’m gonna do everything I can to make this place feel like a hub for meeting new people or learning a new skill.”
It’s hard to imagine a type of event that hasn’t been hosted at Gather, but Thahir has his heart set on attracting something in particular: reliable jazz nights. If business continues as it has, those may be on the calendar soon.
“I wanna have some solid, dedicated Jazz nights,” he said. “I think that’s the coolest thing you can do is have a wine bar and jazz music playing.”
Visit Gather East at 952 State Street. Visit their website here.