We are a small but mighty independently owned neighborhood café located in East Falls, Philadelphia. For over six years, Thunder Mug Café has poured thousands of cups, hosted countless conversations, and become a daily ritual for so many amazing people in our community. Owning this café has meant the world to us — it’s our livelihood, our dream, and our home.

 

But the truth is: we’re struggling.

 

The recent economic downturn has hit small businesses like ours especially hard. Food and supply costs have skyrocketed, utilities have climbed, and the equipment we’ve relied on for years is aging faster than we can afford to repair or replace. Every month, the margins get thinner. We’ve done everything in our power to keep Thunder Mug going without burdening our customers, but we’re now at a point where simply raising prices isn’t an option — we refuse to alienate the very people who built this place with their loyalty and support.

 

What many people don’t know is how much we’ve personally sacrificed to keep Thunder Mug alive. We’ve put in our entire savings, reinvested every extra dollar, and taken on personal financial strain because we believe in this café and this community. We did it willingly — because this place matters to us. But now we’ve reached a point where we simply can’t keep doing it alone.

 

We’ve stretched every dollar, cut every cost we can, and fought to stay afloat, but the strain has become overwhelming. To be completely honest, we’re worried about the future of Thunder Mug.

 

And that’s why we’re turning to you — our community, our neighbors, our regulars, our friends. With your help, we can replace failing equipment, stabilize our operations, and keep serving the neighborhood we love. Anything helps. Your support means more than we can ever put into words.