- Jon Hunt’s “Whatever” will be for sale at Save the Last Sip.
Since opening nearly four years ago, Undergrounds Coffeehaus in Fort Lauderdale has established a reputation for its homey atmosphere, funky coffee flavors (e.g., peanut butter latte), old-school snacks (including Tater Tots and Pop-Tarts) and odd events (such as zombie pajama parties). But Undergrounds may be best known for its unwavering support of local artists, many of whom consider the coffeehouse their second home and owner Aileen Liptak their den mother.
Janda “Japanda” Farley first visited the coffeehouse a few years ago for an art show. “I was like, ‘Oooh, this is really cool,’ ” she says. “It feels like home.” Farley now frequents Undergrounds to attend events, eat jerk Tater Tots and lavender cookies, play checkers or chat over coffee with Liptak, who in January hosted Farley’s first solo show, … But Home Is Nowhere.
“Undergrounds isn’t just a coffee dispensary,” explains Farley, one of many Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale students who patronize the cafe. “Aileen always has something to do or participate in every day you come in the store. It’s WiFi-friendly, so if you just want a place to chill and surf, you’ve got one. There’s a wide plethora of books for sale. She’s got board and video games to play. She’s always having themed nights accompanied by relevant movies and music to get the community involved — anything from the recent ‘ghetto night’ to the ‘prom’ she’s having next month. It’s completely random and awesome.
“[Liptak] also lends a welcoming hand to artists, aspiring or successful,” she continues. “If someone hasn’t requested the time frame [for a show] already, she’s more than happy to have you.”
When the economy began to take a toll on Undergrounds, however, artists worried about their home away from home. Liptak, who also sells Avon and works part-time typing jobs, is not sure if she’ll renew the café’s lease in July.
“My boyfriend works full-time, and we try to take as much slack off the store as we can,” Liptak says. “But it’s been a struggle just for that reason. We want to get married and start working on having children. So I guess we were making grownup decisions or at least discussing them.”
Mainly, they are trying to decide if they can afford to run the shop for another year.
“When Aileen told me that it might come down to her not being able to keep the shop open, I felt a little discouraged,” Farley says. “I knew we had to help. We want Undergrounds to stay around as long as possible, because out of all those small shops that I have been to, nothing makes you feel at home like Undergrounds does.”
So Farley and her boyfriend — Johnny Zhang, a photographer, filmmaker and animator — have collaborated with Liptak on a fundraiser to take place this Saturday. Hosted by Farley, Save the Last Sip will feature works by more than 40 artists that cost no more than $50. All proceeds will benefit Undergrounds.
In 2007, Lisa Parrott held her first solo exhibition at Undergrounds and sold 19 of the 22 pieces at the opening reception. “I love how Aileen takes in all the unknown artists and puts them up on display. It’s almost like she takes us under her wing,” says Parrott, who will hold her fourth solo exhibition at Undergrounds May 22.
“Lisa Parrott had her first show at my store and she’s all over the place,” Liptak says. “It’s great. I’m like, ‘Look at her go. My baby!’”
Artists say that attitude, especially when dealing with artists who have never exhibited their work, sets Undergrounds apart. Liptak enjoys working with artists on issues such as pricing. “They’ll say, ‘I’m gonna be famous some day,’” Liptak says. “I’m like, ‘That’s true, but today you’re not and why increase the starving artist [stereotype] when you can say, Hey, this is going to be $1,000, but how about some prints for $10?’ You’ve gotta come up with something people can afford if they want to support you but can’t afford $1,000 or even $100. Rob Tatro had magnets for $5 and sold tons of them. Lisa Parrott had bookmarks. Hilda Vazquez had smaller pieces for $20 and sold every single one. I like to sit with them and brainstorm and figure it out. It’s like a puzzle.”
Liptak is overwhelmed by the early response to Save the Last Sip, though she does not know whether she’ll sign a new lease. “I don’t even want to think about that not happening,” she says. “There’s no room for not succeeding, no room for failure. I want to stay open.”
“Aileen has opened the doors for so many, including art students from Broward College and the Art Institute,” says Katya Neptune, who last year curated her first show at Undergrounds. “Aileen’s support gave me the confidence to exhibit at other places. It’s obvious that this is her calling. I hope that a ton of people come out to support the show to enable this business to stay open.”
Save the Last Sip will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Undergrounds Coffeehaus, 2743 E. Oakland Park Blvd., in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-630-1900.
Contact Colleen Dougher at cdougher@citylinkmagazine.com.
Comments
It’s the best coffee spot in the county. Aileen is glorious – support your local, unique, and non-chain establishments before they all succumb to fecal matter like starsucks!