kelli lemon leads with black

It’s a warm winter morning and Kelli Lemon buzzes around her Urban Hang Suite (UHS) coffee shop in a knitted rainbow sweater, white tee shirt, and light blue jeans She smiles fully, dimples popping, as she touches base with her staff and the people she passes

“You good?” she asks a regular ordering lunch before shouting “heyyyy!” through the open front door to an older gentleman walking down Broad Street.

Kelli talks to everyone Her voice is an invitation, an acknowledgment that the humans she encounters are welcome in the spaces she creates

The Urban Hang Suite is the hub of coffee, connections, and culture located in the heart of Jackson Ward in Richmond It opened in the fall of 2018 as a result of Kelli’s vision to give people a place to “hang out” and engage with one another

“This is everyone’s house, only dope and different You can have conversations, get inspired by community, and get into other people’s business,” she grins “Everyone’s got a story and this is the place to get in on it ”

UHS was Kelli’s first foray into owning a brick-and-mortar physical space, but she has a long history of making space for connection, change, and growth in the city A serial social entrepreneur, Kelli has always driven cultural transformation by bringing next-level creativity and energy to her mission to passionately connect people through food, sports, arts, and education.

Now, five years after opening, we sit down to discuss what it means to make space in Richmond, reflect on why she does her work, and contemplate what it means to leave a legacy that impacts future generations

Story by Michelle Mercurio

Photography by Sofia Owen

Styling by Emmaline Chappell

Suit from Our Life by Stellas