Patrick and Sarah Davis know what it is like to feel like outsiders; they’ve each experienced the transition after spending time in prison. After their own experiences, the Davis family has committed themselves to make a space where this transition can be a little easier for others.
Inspired by their faith and their own experiences, Patrick and Sarah started a church called the Fringe in 2018, and they run a therapeutic program in local prisons called Scars and Bars. It is an 8 week music therapy program geared towards addressing the root causes of incarceration and crime.
“We’ve seen some amazing transformation; the prison system loves what we are doing,” says Patrick, co-owner of the Fringe. “One thing was missing though: what will we do when they get out? We have some connections where someone might hire them, but why don’t we create something to help them?”
This need bred the plan to launch a business. The Fringe Coffee House is a social enterprise, which means that it is both a full business, creating and selling food and beverage, while also trying to accomplish social good in the community. Located on High Street, it will be a very visible location for people to get coffee and a bite on the East side of Hamilton.
The Fringe Coffee House focuses on employing people who are re-entering the workforce after prison. The coffee shop is structured to offer a 9-month vocational training program, but the support for these employees will be more extensive than a typical job. “They will have a family support system: we’ll help them get their GED, their license, parenting classes, whatever people need,” says Patrick. “We want to holistically surround them for 9 months so they step out of here with job history and job skills.”
When leaving prison, the transition can be a major shock.
“Employment is a tough step, and finding a place to live can also be a challenge,” says Sarah Davis, co-owner of The Fringe. “Transportation is a major issue too; without a license, it can be difficult to get places. Then, finding a sense of community can be hard.”
Sarah sees this last part, the lack of community after living in close proximity with other inmates for a long time, as one of the hardest things to overcome. Moving from a structured environment to having a lot of free time doesn’t always promote healthy habits.
“Many people really just need a person, someone like a sponsor, to walk with them through this time,” says Sarah. Finding this person, or group of people, is easier when work provides a positive environment.
The coffee shop hopes to employ six people full time with three people per shift; Patrick and Sarah have been working on the building since January 1st, preparing it to be the kind of space they could use for all kinds of events as well as day-to-day coffee and food service.
They’ve paid special attention to how they decorate and the art they feature. “We wanted the idea visually behind the space to tell the stories of people who have faced struggle and haven’t been valued in society,” explains Patrick. “We chose art that speaks to the culture of Hamilton.”
The walls are adorned with recreations of Banksy street art that have political and social messages, such as a picture of a person experiencing homelessness with a sign that says “keep your money; I WANT CHANGE.” There are also collaborative art projects for everyone to participate in, as well as portraits of thought leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Father Greg Boyle, who does extensive outreach to gang members.
Diversity is a major theme for the Fringe: “We hope that this is a place of convergence where people of all ethnicities and socioeconomic statuses come together for really good coffee and really good food,” Patrick says.
The second floor will contain more coffee shop space, but it will also have other uses.
“In the back room, kids can learn how to record, produce, or write music; there will also be video editing and recording. People will come in and teach them, they just have to sign up. Artists have volunteered their time to help,” says Patrick.
The other rooms of the second floor are available for rent for private events. “This area has a separate entrance, bathroom, and kitchen. Groups can rent it out,” says Sarah.
Patrick and Sarah are open with the painful events in their own lives: Patrick’s brotehr was stabbed to death at 20 years old in downtown Cleveland, and he encourages people to acknowledge the sources of their pain and suffering. Sarah experienced six years of separation from her family after receiving a DUI in a deadly wreck at age 27. Their experiences inspire them to help others move forward; a wall upstairs in the coffee shop reads “You are more than the worst thing you’ve ever done.”
“You might need to work through it, you might have consequences from it, but you are more than it,” explains Patrick. “We talk about this all the time, and the idea that you are also more than the worst thing that was ever done to you.”
Ohio has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with 78,000 Ohio residents behind bars; incarceration impacts nearly everyone in some way.
“As a society, we get to decide how people come back,” Patrick explains, discussing the opportunities they want to provide. “It’s not a free pass, but perpetually holding someone’s past against them does nothing to move us forward.”
They hope that the coffee shop will give people a sense of purpose and goals, which can be instrumental in creating positive change after prison.
“When you speak a little encouragement to people, it’s amazing how they turn around,” says Patrick. “When we are willing to listen, hear stories, and get past the fact that someone has done something, the ‘why’ starts to make sense.”
The renovation of their High Street building is part of a larger change in Hamilton, one that Patrick and Sarah would love to see continue, with more social enterprises on the way from The Fringe.
He says, “I’m amazed at what the city of Hamilton has done; I’m amazed at the progress. We really believe we can restore buildings and lives at the same time.”