The opening of a Black-owned business at the A.G. Gaston Motel on Tuesday breathes new life into a historic venue and extends a legacy of entrepreneurial service begun by Birmingham’s first Black millionaire.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin joined dozens at the late morning ribbon-cutting and official grand opening of Alicia’s Coffee. The Birmingham Preservation Authority recently selected shop owners Naimah Alicia Elmore and Rashad “Roc” Harrell to operate at the motel that decades ago was the primary meeting place of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as he led the struggle for civil rights.

The shop’s signature drink — Room 30 — pays homage to the War Room, a hotel room where King and his lieutenants met to plot strategy in the nonviolent fight for equality. The latte combines oat milk with two shots of espresso and raspberry syrups.

“It’s really, really good to be here on the sacred ground on this beautiful day to acknowledge and celebrate and promote this new small business,” Woodfin said. “It’s fitting because A.G. Gaston represents the spirit of Black entrepreneurship in our city.

“Alicia’s Coffee has a mission,” Woodfin said. “That mission is to serve communities through not just coffee … but through acts of community service. In their words, ‘Coffee is a Connection.’ There is no better space to live those words than right here, a space that became the headquarters of equality and justice in our city.”

Nathaniel Bagley, chairman of the Birmingham Historic Preservation Authority, said the newly opened coffee shop is an extension of A.G. Gaston’s vision.

“Seeing the coffee shop open here just kind of brought about a new life and revitalization to this particular area,” Bagley said. “It’s almost like he’s (Gaston is) still here.”

City Council President Darrell O’Quinn said the grand opening today was especially fitting as this is the final week of Black History Month. He called Elmore and Harrell “today’s history-makers.”

“We are today celebrating yet another generation of young entrepreneurs carving their own path on this hallowed ground that bears (Gaston’s) name,” O’Quinn said. “Birmingham has long been a city of innovation and enterprise, and we must continue to uplift and support Black-owned businesses as a critical pillar of our economic success. In order for Birmingham to reach its full potential, we have to support our local entrepreneurs.

“We must also remain committed to protecting our national monuments that belong to all of us,” the council president continued. “This history cannot and will not be deleted on a whim, even with the daily tornado of bad news we’ve all had to witness and endure lately, we will resist and we will get through this.”

Alicia’s Coffee offers locally sourced coffees, teas and desserts from local, minority-owned shops. The menu features lattes, smoothies, teas and baked goods from Amber’s Dessert, another Black-owned business.

Built in 1954, the A.G. Gaston Motel was a meeting place for civil rights leaders. It is a key site of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, which was established in 2017 by President Barack Obama.

The motel is the centerpiece of the monument, which is a partnership between the National Park Service, the city of Birmingham and the Historic Preservation Authority.

The city invested $10 million into the restoration of the motel. An additional $1.1 million grant came from the Mellon Foundation supporting the coffee shop, dining room and exhibit restoration.