During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, co-founders Dante Clemons and Brittney Williams began talks to launch Origin Studio House to shine light on a community that is being threatened by rapid development and an overall decline in its Black population. Clemons comes from a background in commerce, architectural planning, and community arts; Williams is an interior designer and expert in hospitality design, cultural curation, and storytelling. The duo combined their expertise in art, hospitality, and entrepreneurship to create a space for Black people and other minorities to preserve their sense of belonging and inclusion.
Origin Studio House (Austin’s first and only Black-owned coffee shop) offers food, drink, and DJ sets to sustain operations and showcase talent. But its goals are much larger: The owners hope that their space will serve as a catalyst for a movement by contemporary Black-owned businesses to reclaim spaces, neighborhoods, and communities in Austin and beyond. Such efforts are essential if minority communities are to retain their identities and cultures amidst a city, state, and country that time and time again have tried to eradicate and displace them. Creating an inclusive environment has allowed its founders to provide a space for people to meet, network, and foster their professional growth beyond the studio’s physical footprint.
Origin Studio House is a young operation, and has faced many challenges since its inception. But its founders have high aspirations that their concept of providing a spirit of hospitality, shared connections, and nourishment will take root and thrive. They have established an ethos that others can build from, strengthen, and preserve for future generations of Black business owners, creatives, artists, and advocates in and out of Austin. – Oscar Yanez, NOMA
