Big Chair Coffee & Grill

Meet the Owners

The Story Behind Big Chair

Owner NameAyeaqbizu Yimenu

-owner of Big Chair Coffee & Grill, came to the DC area from Ethiopia 22 years ago, and was school nurse for four years at Birney Elementary School in Anacostia. During that time, she had struggled to find a decent place to eat and have a nice drink after work, so she decided to open a coffee shop in Anacostia. Three years ago, she found an available location, and with her family’s help and support, started the process that would bring Big Chair to life. Now Big Chair is leading the charge to write a new chapter of Anacostia’s history. Ayeaqbizu wants Big Chair to be a warm, friendly place with lots of variety; somewhere the community can go to relax and enjoy their evenings and weekends in their own neighborhood.

Owner NameBatamalak Yimenu

A resident of Greenbelt, MD for 18 years, Batamalak Yimenu is the proud manager of Big Chair Coffee & Grill. Originally from Ethiopia and a former taxi driver, Batamalak, or “Banti” to the regulars, knows the city like the back of his hand. He and his sister were well aware that there weren’t many places East of the River where you could sit down and get a nice cup of coffee, so they decided they “need[ed] to open a coffee shop... so that people around here could get one.” In the future, he’s hoping to expand Big Chair by making additions to the shop and by offering more food and drink options. “We understand this area is going to grow ... and we want to grow with it; we want to be in the front seat.”

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