We Are Going To Be Honest

Thousands of people walking through the door of Union every year. Today we want to highlight one of those individuals. That person is none other than, "The Honest Consumer." The Honest Consumer is a blog started by a Dallas resident named, Emily. This individual is on a mission to share the stories of social enterprises, to spread the word about ethically made products and to empower consumers.

On The Honest Consumer states on her site, "A purchase can be more than the simple exchange of cash for product. Stop and think about those on the other end.  Who makes the product?  Your purchases could be impacting lives in a positive or negative manner," she continues with an example, "If you could choose to purchase a product from a company employing people striving for a second chance versus purchasing from a large chain store, what would your first choice be? Your decision to purchase from the social enterprise allows the company to expand, therefore, continuing to provide more opportunities to those who are working to better their lives."

Emily, just like us believes, your purchase matters.

What Will You Do For Dallas?

We are a city in mourning for the policemen who died protecting the first amendment. A city begging to proclaim black lives matter peacefully, as the movement began. A city whose highways dictate what race lives where. A city outraged. A city tired. A city heartbroken.

And yet, we are not broken.

At FLOW, we recognize that to ignite change, you must be prepared to fight. We believe as long as we have breath, we have power. As long as we’re still here, we can help. #ForDallasIWill is a plea to the people of Dallas to take personal responsibility for moving our city forward. We must change, so Dallas can change.

So, what will you do for Dallas?

- Lauren Manza and the Women of FLO

Dallas Will Be Different

I’ve suspected for a while that we live at the cliff’s edge of a new society. Growing up, I learned the names of cities important to the civil rights movement: Little Rock, Selma, Birmingham, Montgomery, Memphis. Their names evokes stories that changed our collective American identity.

In recent years, there’s been a new list: Ferguson, Baltimore, Charleston, McKinney, Baton Rogue, St. Paul. Today my city. My. City. Dallas. Dallas just joined a list.  I am mad as hell at these snipers who wrote Dallas into history books with bullets, but I refuse to let them determine how the story ends.

Dallas will be different from the snipers’ dreams.

Let’s be clear: Dallas has a lot of race problems. Our school district is among the most segregated in the nation. The ethnographic map of Dallas has such clear divisions between White, Black, Hispanic and “other” that it looks like it was designed that way—because in many ways it was. We have some of the greatest wealth disparity in the United States and the gap between rich and poor in Dallas is widening. Other major cities have similar problems, but Dallas will be different.

Dallas will be different. Although we are broken by race, I have yet to hear city leadership deny the problems. Our city council members, Chief of Police and Mayor know that there are problems. They talk about them frequently and are honestly struggling to find solutions. This is true of the general public as well. When we fight, we fight over how to help—not whether or not help is needed, called for or expected. The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Dallas admits its problems. That gives me hope.

Dallas will be different. When I listen to the more innovative and well-known leaders across Dallas, I hear a refrain of “collaboration over competition.” True Dallas change agents know how to work across the boundaries our society assumes. Dallasites understand our problems are too great for any one person or any one sector to overcome. I admire leaders who are more concerned about collective benefit than personal credit. I am grateful to say that I have a lot of Dallas leaders to admire.

Dallas will be different. In the wake of Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile’s deaths at the hands of police officers, over one hundred people gathered at Union, the non-profit coffee shop that I help lead. While emotions were raw, people from different races and backgrounds were able to talk, discover new friendships and honor each other’s pain. Uniformed police officers were there. They expressed their anger at what had happened in Baton Rogue and St Paul. They made personal promises to people in the room to do more—in both formal in informal ways—to make sure Dallas doesn’t become another city on the list. Before shots penetrated downtown peace, protestors posed for pictures with Dallas Police Department officers. When we at Union who believe #blacklivesmatter heard that officers had been shot, we prayed. We hugged. We cried.

Even as I cry out, “Lord, how long,” I am confident that Dallas will be different from the world’s expectations. We are going to surprise with our capacity to love, our commitment to heal and our conviction to be better. Snipers have once again written Dallas into history books with bullets, but we get to write the story that shapes our nation in response.

Dallas will be different if we choose to be.

Rev. Michael Baughman
Community Curator
Union: coffee. community. cause. 

There Is Someone In Dallas You Should Meet!

There is a main reason we are releasing this article today... Because it is his BIRTHDAY! However, we are thankful for him everyday and we really think you should meet him. His name is Mike Baughman. If you've been to Union before you probably have met this guy, but if not you should come by and change that. 

Mike is the Community Curator at Union Coffee. For the past 3.5+ years Mike has done everything from brewing coffee to preach at Kuneo and Studio to telling stories on The Naked Stage. Yes, Mike has done it all inside of the walls of Union, but his passion for coffee, community and cause goes beyond the walls of this coffee shop. Mike is an active leader in the city of Dallas and is passionate about the growth and collaboration of the city. He's active in the arts of the city, rebuilding of communities, bringing parties together that may have never known each other and so much more. 

As a husband, father, friend, colleague, peer, and more (we put that Oxford comma in there because Mike is such a huge fan of them ;) ) Mike is the prime definition of putting others first. 

Thank you for everything you do for Union and the community.
From your Union family, Happy Birthday Mike! 

See What Thrillist Had To Say About Union

The coffee here is fresh -- so fresh in fact, that once roasted and cooled, the beans are mailed overnight, so that you get the freshest cup of coffee every time. To top it off, when you drink here, the coffee shop gives back 10% of all coffee-related sales to benefit a non-profit. The space is bright and open and is a great place to work or even have private meetings in one of their private enclosed rooms.

Capes 4 Kids Is Taking Off This Saturday

Union is a coffee shop, right? Well, one day a month for four hours we flip our coffee shop into a cape making factory. Yes, we still serve coffee (of course)... But the organization Capes 4 Kids takes over our "big room" to do something that is quite remarkable!

Capes 4 Kids (C4K) brings in a huge group of people, sometimes surpassing 100 individuals, that give up their afternoon to make super hero capes for kids that are terminally ill or have a long-term illness/disability. Throughout the month C4K has their "superheroes and sidekicks" unite to deliver capes to these kids. Our superheroes remind these little one's that they are superheroes too and they have the powers to fight and defeat their "super-villain" (the disease they are battling).

C4K was started back in 2014 and is continuing to grow. The next "Cape Making Factory" at Union is on Saturday, June 25 from 1p - 5p. Bring as many people as you want. It is a great time for your family and friends.

RSVP TO THE NEXT CAPE MAKING FACTORY

A Letter To The LGBTQ Community

Dear Dallas LGBTQ Community:

Sanctuary is one of the core values at Union, the little non-profit coffee shop I lead that serves as a church for many. Because we value sanctuary so much, I mourn all the more when sanctuary is broken for any people. For sure, sanctuary was broken on Saturday night, but it is not the first time. The terror of June 12th is indicative of smaller, but consistent terrors that chip away at our Dallas sanctuary for the LGBTQ community. Gay men have been targeted for assault. LGBTQ Texans are denied fair protection under the law. These are problems our society must address collectively and as individuals.

I wish I could promise that Union will always be a sanctuary for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer members of our community. Orlando revealed that none of us can make that much-desired promise. There will always be those outside of our control who choose violence over love in pursuit of their broken dream for the world. As the pastor for an organization that values sanctuary, I must to my level best to advocate for sanctuary so I can promise the following:

I, as a pastor in the United Methodist Church, will do my level best to affirm your sacred worth. I promise to value you and share with the world my opinion that you are not incompatible with Christian teaching. I hope to offer hospitality and whatever measure of sanctuary that I can.

I, as a citizen, will call the sin of hate crimes the sin that it is. We, as a society, cannot repent of our sins until we are willing to name them. I hope that we will speak truthfully about what has been lost.

I, as a small business leader, will listen for what Union can do to offer sanctuary to members of the LGBTQ community. One of the great pains in the wake of overwhelming tragedy is helplessness. I confess feeling helpless. I don’t know how to help, but stand ready to do what I can. I hope that you will teach me.

I, as a preacher, will describe Orlando’s mass shooting with appropriately offensive language. What happened at Pulse is shit. Offensive realities call for offensive language.

I, as a child of God, will do my level best to love you, bear witness to pain, struggle to find hope and walk with you. You are not alone.

Last night (Tuesday, June 14th) at 8:00pm, one of our Union worshipping communities lit candles for the victims, shared in conversation about how we respond to tragedy, share our fears, and look together for hope. You are always welcome. I pray you will join us sometime and will invite us to be a part of your acts of remembrance, hope and healing

I hope that, in Union, you will always find a generous friend, a welcome atmosphere, a great cup of coffee and an authentic community who loves who you are and cultivates the divine spark in everyone.

Rev. Mike Baughman

A Community of Strength: “Mental Toughness” Naked Stage featuring Dallas’ Bridge Lacrosse

My favorite community outreach program at Union is the Naked Stage. My current obsession is anything related to mindset. Enter the “Mental Toughness” Naked Stage night hosted by Dallas’ Bridge Lacrosse. Match. Made. In heaven. 

As per usual, the Naked Stage featured stories from a variety of different voices.

A man shared the incredible story of how he went from losing his mother to cancer at the age of thirteen to immediately moving to Central America and living life as if both her passing and the new culture around him were everyday changes. His family was held hostage by the Honduran government, and they later ended up driving off an unfinished bridge as they made their escape. In those moments he remained remarkably, unwaveringly calm, just as his father had done for him so many times before, in order to be an example for his younger brother and sister.

A hilarious young lacrosse player told us stories from “the most painful year of his life” as goalie. (A goalie’s life is tough, y’all, though it beats all the running you have to do on the field. That makes for the most tiring year of life.) But, at the end of the day, he said that he looked up to his coach and another lacrosse player, both male, because he never had a father figure. That revelation was shared so innocently and matter-of-factly that it took the whole room by surprise. He didn’t have a dad. Period. Yet because of his aunts and the men he’s met through lacrosse, he’s ok. Children make the most wonderful things so simple.

Finally, a coach shared her story of being the child of teenage parents. How they told her they wish they hadn’t had her, and her grandparents had to raise her. How she had to figure out how to get to the camps and programs she wanted to go to on her own. Learning to take care of herself without the help of her parents made her tenacious. It made her meticulous, confident. And she grew up to be a role model of courage and strength for other young girls. Her story didn’t have to happen. It wasn’t supposed to. But it did. She made it so.

As I left this beautiful night, I realized that we often become mentally tough either for the sake of someone else or in spite of them. We may take different paths - a stoic will to move forward, a healthy dose of humor, a voracious commitment to write your own story when others fail you - but at some point we all learn that to make it in this world, mental toughness is not an option. It’s a requirement.

If you’ve never been to the Naked Stage at Union Coffee, I highly recommend it. The storytelling series will go dark for the summer, but it returns in the fall with more windows into the human experience and more opportunities to connect to the Dallas community. Hope to see you there.

$1 Coffee All Day Long

Since its inception in November of 2012 Union Coffee has grown to be love by thousands in Dallas and beyond. The reason for this is due to the fact that Union is more than a coffee shop. As many patrons of Union say, “Union is a community.” Built on strong community and a charitable aspect of giving 10% of all coffee sales to a local charity, Union has become the top-rated coffee shop on sites such as Yelp, Google and more. One thing that Union wasn’t the best in was the coffee.

Now that has completely changed. The community and cause is definitely still there, but Union has changed up the coffee and it is for the better. How have they done this? Union has completely switched roasters and now have partnered with Dallas based, Eiland Coffee.

“I have a confession to make. I’ve run a coffee shop for 3.5 years and I only became a coffee drinker about four months ago—when I was introduced to the quality coffee that Clay is able to produce,” says Mike Baughman, Community Curator for Union. “Now, I can’t get through my day without a Burundi pour over.”

Eiland Coffee Roasters integrates old-school roasting equipment retrofitted with modern technology to specialize in roasting rare and unique coffees from around the world. This roaster is passionate about roasting, training, and developing palates. Roasting coffee for over a decade, plus numerous trips to coffee-producing countries across the world has fueled our passion for this craft. Every member of the Eiland team has been in the specialty coffee industry for at least a decade. All of the time spent honing our craft is made worthwhile if we can provide you with a great experience. As this industry grows and changes, we're striving to grow and adapt as well as provide the best for our customers. 

Clay Eiland, Owner of Eiland Coffee - Photo Credit: Dallas Observer

Baughman continues with saying, “For years, Union has been one of the top-rated coffee shops in Dallas. We noticed, however, that most of our reviews commented on our community, our dedication to area causes, our events and how friendly our baristas are. Very few talked about our drinks. Our hope is to raise the standard on our beverages to be on par with the highest level in Dallas. We’ve hired a new General Manager with excellent barista training credentials and are looking to Eiland coffee to raise the quality of our coffee.”

To celebrate the new coffee, Union will be offering $1 coffee all day on Monday, June 13. This includes all sizes of lattes, pour overs, drip coffee and more. All proceeds from the day will go to Capes 4 Kids (C4K). C4K is an organization that hosts a monthly cape-making factory at Union. “C4K super heroes” deliver the capes that are made to children that are terminally ill or about to undergo a major surgery in the North Texas area. 

* Promo will not include French Press, cold brews, chai teas, matcha lattes or tea products

Free Things To Do Around Dallas

Our friends at GuideLive put together this amazing list of FREE things to do around Dallas all summer long!

Mondays

Summer Sounds Get some extra pep on Monday nights in Allen with music at at the Joe Farmer Recreation Center Amphitheater. Catch concerts May 30-June 20.

Music in the Park Mesquite Art Center's outdoor series celebrates its 25th year with themed Mesquite Community Band shows June 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Brave Combo, which plays tons of local concert series, is one of the featured groups at Sounds of Lewisville.

Tuesdays

JazzBreaks Take blankets and lawn chairs for jazz sounds outdoors at the Mesquite Arts Center every Tuesday in June, June 7-28. 

Sounds of Lewisville Tribute and party  bands rule the roost at this free series in Wayne Ferguson Plaza. Concerts are on Tuesday nights, June 7-July 26.

Wednesdays

Children's Concerts and Family Movie Nights Levitt Pavilion in Arlington hosts morning performances by children's entertainers and evening family movie screenings on Wednesdays, June 8-June 29 (additional movie screening July 6). 

Thursdays

Meadows Museum Admission to the museum is free on Thursdays after 5 p.m.  This Southern Methodist University gem houses what's billed as one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Spanish art outside Spain.

Levitt Pavilion Concert Series You can't help but find something you'll like in this series with concerts on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May 27-July 17(there's info on kids' programs and movies on select Wednesdays under Wednesdays). Acts range from Ruthie Foster to Bowling for Soup to Dale Watson.

Concert by the Lake This ongoing free Thursday-night series at the Harbor in Rockwall features an eclectic lineup, with acts playing everything from '80s music to rock to contemporary hits. Ongoing through July 21. 

Vitruvian Nights Live It’s a free party in the outdoor amphitheater at Vitruvian Park in Addison featuring local bands and food. It runs on Thursdays June 2-Aug. 11.

Summer Fun Thursdays The Shops at Willow Bend hosts children's performers every weekJune 9-July 28. Installments range from the Amazing Bubble Man to clowns to recyled-instrument group Vocal Trash.

Rockin' the River  Be sure to bring a bathing suit to this ever-popular concert series that takes place on the Trinity River in Fort Worth. Bands hit the Coors Waterfront Stage. You take in concerts from the shore at Panther Island Pavilion or pay to rent a tube. Oh, and there are fireworks. June 16-Aug. 11. 

Free Third Thursdays It takes about 10 minutes to drive there from downtown Dallas, but the Trinity River Audubon Center feels worlds away. It is home to four miles of hiking trails, a wide variety of bird species and some indoor attractions. Check it all out for free during this event (free admission doesn't apply for groups of larger than 10).

Fridays

Levitt Pavilion Concert Series Take blankets and lawn chairs for this series with concerts on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May 27-July 17 (there's info on kids' programs and movies on select Wednesdays under Wednesdays). Acts range from Ruthie Foster to Bowling for Soup to Dale Watson.

Irving Concert Series Expect tribute bands June 3 (Fin City) and June 17 (Guns 4 Roses) at 7 p.m. at Whistlestop Plaza. The free series also features food vendors.

Movies in the Park Catch a movie on a huge outdoor screen at  the Shops at Park Lane on Fridays June 3-24. 

Music in the Square Friday night means tunes from North Texas acts on the Simpson Plaza lawn at Frisco Square during this series, which runs June 3-24. 

Sounds at Sundown features the band Emerald City.

Anja Schlein/Special Contributor

Sounds at Sundown Take a blanket and picnic for this free party-and-tribute band series in Murphy at Murphy Central Park Amphitheater. It runs on Fridays, June 3-July 1.

Music in the Park Concert Series  Kick back under the stars at Valley Ridge Amphitheater in Cedar Hill with musical groups: Random Axis on June 10, Hip Hop Hooray June 17 and Road Crew June 24. 

Til' Midnight The Nasher Sculpture Center features local artists at this free monthly music-and-movies program in its charming garden. Installments are June 17, July 15,  Aug. 19, Sept. 16 and Oct. 21. nashersculpturecenter.org.

Saturdays

Levitt Pavilion Concert Series Kick back under the stars at this series with concerts on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May 27-July 17 (there's info on kids' programs and movies on select Wednesdays under Wednesdays). Acts range from Ruthie Foster to Bowling for Soup to Dale Watson.

Nasher Sculpture Center The museum offers free admission on the first Saturday of each month, when it also hosts its free family event called Target First Saturdays. The urban retreat, designed by Renzo Piano, is a repository of modern sculpture and houses the celebrated collection of Raymond and Patsy Nasher. Be sure to check out the tranquil garden.

Concerts by the Creek Take a blanket and chill on the grass at Watters Creek in Allen on Saturdays during this series. The ongoing series continues through June 18, with an additional show on July 1. 

Vitruvian Salsa Festival Dance the night away with live bands, DJs, professional salsa lessons and food trucks. Get moving for free June 4-25 and Aug. 6-27.

Addison Summer Series Enjoy free outdoor entertainment from local musicians and singer-songwriters June 4-25 and Aug. 6-27. Catch Christmas in July movie screenings featuring Christmas favorites July 9-30. 

Reunion Lawn Party This series on Reunion Tower's lawn is back with the same promise of live music, local craft beer, food trucks and lawn games all for the affordable price of free. The events, which take place June 25, July 30 and Aug. 27. 

Duncanville Summer Concert Series Local and regional performers rock Armstrong Park in Duncanville on June 25, July 16 and Aug. 20.

Sundays

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth The museum offers free admission each Sunday. Japanese architect Tadao Ando designed the building, which houses post-World War II art in various media. 

Sunday Funday Admission is free for Panther Island Pavilion's laid-back, family-friendly summer series that takes place along the banks of  — and in — the Trinity River at Fort Worth's Panther Island Pavilion. Take blankets, chairs, games or anything else that would be fun in the sun. If you do feel like shelling out some cash, you might try tubing, playing paddle sports and disc golf and participating in stand-up paddle board yoga.June 12-Sept. 4. 

Juan Reyna aerates a stack of $100 notes to help keep them from causing a paper jam in the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing's inspection machinery. A lot of money is printed there, but it's free to tour the facility.

Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News.

Various days

Art museum admissions General admission to the Dallas Museum of Art and theCrow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas, as well as the Kimbell Art Museum and theAmon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, is always free (they're all open every day except for Mondays). 

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Parks Concerts The series kicks off with the big Memorial Day Concert and fireworks on May 30 (the concert has been moved indoors to the Meyerson Symphony Center), a Kidd Springs Park performance June 7, fireworks and a concert in Fair Park June 8 and a Paul Quinn College concert onJune 14.

The Mary Kay Museum This 5,000-square-foot museum is dedicated to all things related to late cosmetics doyenne Mary Kay Ash, who started her empire in 1963 in Dallas. The museum shows off many iterations of makeup and packaging, of course, as well as Mary Kay's ball gowns, replicas of her famous pink Cadillacs, Liz Taylor-worthy jewelry and much more. It's open Mondays through Fridays.

U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing Did you know that billions of dollars are printed in Fort Worth? You can learn a lot about U.S. currency and see the printing process from an enclosed walkway above the production floor during a self-guided tour of the Western Currency Facility. There are also exhibits, a film and a gift shop. Free tours are Tuesdays through Fridays at the Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth. 

Every day

Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drive Check out what's billed as the world's only twice-daily municipal cattle drive at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. It's in the Fort Worth Stockyards (a good place to watch from is in front of the Stockyards Visitor Center).

McKinney Avenue Trolley Take a free ride aboard the trolley for a charming, relaxing way to see Uptown and a bit of downtown Dallas. There are stops close to Klyde Warren Park and the Dallas Arts District, as well as the shopping and dining of Uptown. 

Klyde Warren Park activities Sure, there are plenty of attractions at this popular 5.2-acre Dallas park, including the Children's Park playground, a dog park, and lots of green space. But this list is geared toward events, and the park has something scheduled every day of the week. Options include yoga classes, skyline tours, dancing in the park and much more. 

June Specials At Union

Come on into Union and get these specials throughout the month of June...

Happy Hour Monday through Friday 7a - 9a

• All brewed coffee 50% Off
• Free brewed coffee refills
• Add an extra shot for only $.50

Union Mug Promo
When you purchase a Union ceramic mug at $15 you will only pay $1 for a coffee refill in that mug for the month of June.

Union Re-Usable Cold Cup
Purchase a Union Re-Usable Cold Cup at $15 you will only pay $1 for a coffee refill in that mug for the month of June.

Capes 4 Kids
Purchase a Capes 4 Kids shirt at $5 and you will receive any 16oz beverage FREE!