Kim Harris and Kevin Bradford are part of the trio that own and operate the craft beer bar Harlem Hops. 

Harris said the bar is Harlem’s first 100% Black-owned craft beer bar. In addition to carrying a large variety of beers, they place special emphasis on brands by people of color and women-owned businesses.

“It’s about recycling our money within our communities," Harris explained. "The bigger brands, they have enough attention. We wanted to highlight and feature small brands."

Bradford is the mastermind who curates the brews featured in the bar. He believes this bar is leaving a legacy for others to follow. 

“Young people see us here and see us being entrepreneurs, having a business and they can say, ‘Hey, you know what, I think we can do that also,’” he said.

Bradford is a seventh grade math teacher during the day who also has hops on tap, with a special brew that helps fund scholarships for Harlem students attending historically Black colleges and universities, like each of the owners did.  

“The proceeds from this goes towards our Harlem Hopes. A lot of the people that are selling this product also gave proceeds back to us to our Harlem Hopes scholarship,” Harris said. “We’ve given out about eight $2,500 scholarships."

The money is distributed through their 501c3 Harlem Hopes, created in 2019, a year after the bar opened. The beer’s unique can design showcases that HBCU love, and was designed by a local talent.

“His name is Roosevelt Taylor, a local Harlem artist from Grant projects,” Harris said.

“It’s important for us, like I said, to be inclusive of everyone, show support. We have to promote each other and support each other,” Harris added.

The owners said that 100% of donations received go towards student scholarships.