Comfort Kitchen sits within one of the most racially and culturally diverse areas of the city. They embrace and build upon this diversity to generate a collaborative future around food and cultural expression. It is located in a dense, diverse, and historically mixed-use neighborhood on the cusp of change. This culturally rich area hosts a dynamic base of local “regulars” living within walking distance and holds the potential to attract customers as a destination from further afield.

The Story of Comfort Kitchen

Chef Kwasi Kwaa had been operating pop-ups inside of the managing partner, Biplaw Rai’s restaurant, Dudley Cafe in Roxbury. According to the Boston Eater, the main managing partner, Biplaw Rai, has been dreaming up Comfort Kitchen with Chef Kwaa since 2015. With delays due to the pandemic, the restaurant finally has been able to open up in early 2023. It is located inside the historic Comfort Station in Upham’s Corner.

The team has partnered with Historic Boston Incorporated. Recent press features include Boston Eater, Boston Magazine, The Bay State Banner, Caught in Dot, and NBC Boston.

Challenges & Opportunities facing the Comfort Kitchen Team

Comfort Kitchen now resides in the building that was originally Comfort Station. It was a former rest station that was part of Boston’s iconic streetcar system in the early 1900s. Comfort Station existed on what was once part of the Dorchester North Burying Ground.

Historic Boston Incorporated worked in partnership with the team to promote this remodel, and is a non-profit organization that works with local partners to identify and redevelop historically significant buildings in Boston’s neighborhoods.

Why Comfort Kitchen Chose Mainvest

We took some time to connect with our friends at Comfort Kitchen, and chat about the future of Mainvest, and how their experience was while working with us. The team says that they “look forward to seeing more businesses of color reaching their funding goals through community investors on Mainvest, as we did for Comfort Kitchen and raised $100K to kick start our build-out.”

Members of the team at Comfort Kitchen include:

Biplaw Rai, Managing Partner (he/him)

Nyacko Pearl Perry, OD Partner (she/her)

Kwasi Kwaa, Chef Partner (he/him) 

Rita Ferreira, Branding Partner (she/her)

The Results

Comfort Kitchen’s Mainvest campaign raised $100,000, mainly from local investors, though investors from across the country participated. Funds raised went towards build out and supporting the business until build out was complete. Comfort Kitchen’s offerings include:

• Multiple Space Usage

  : A cafe by day, a restaurant by night, a gathering spot at all times — Comfort Kitchen is dedicated to fostering collaboration, cross-cultural understanding, and community engagement.

• Food Incubator Pop-up:

   In partnership with Commonwealth Kitchen, a non-profit kitchen in Dorchester incubating more than 50 community-based businesses, the restaurant is offering local mid-level food entrepreneurs an affordable pop-up space for month-long residences or single night events.

• Catering:

  Both of the founders come with a vast experience in catering. They plan to cater using fresh local produce with exceptional service.

• Events:

   Community members are welcome to rent the space or collaborate with the Comfort Kitchen team to create engaging social events.

It’s important to note how the structuring of this round (and most Mainvest raises) allowed for a flexible timeline. With the revenue sharing note, investors are repaid as a share of revenue. No revenue = no repayment (with some caveats, of course). This flexibility and performance-tied investment vehicle truly aligns incentives so you can get to work on your project while still offering a competitive return to investors as a thank-you for their early support and engagement. Instead of those returns going to a big bank, isn’t it better that they go right back into the community?

What can Mainvest do for your business?

Mainvest allows you to raise capital from your community, without giving up any ownership or control in the process. By running a Mainvest campaign, you can engage the community and get buy-in from local stakeholders. If you are ready to take the next step as an entrepreneur, reach out to us here.

Written by the team @ Mainvest