By Myron Medcalf

Copyright startribune

“‘People’s Instinctive Travels’ is an undeniable classic, but you could see in [A Tribe Called Quest’s] attire, they were searching for themselves. But then ‘Low End Theory,’ it was like, ‘Look, we are who we are.’ And then they released a bona fide, undeniable, mature classic,” he continued. “And so for me, the Get Down is ‘People’s Instinctive Travels,” which was a classic, amazing. But I was finding my way in hospitality in 2020 and then the food business. This next iteration for me is ‘Low End Theory.’ I’m certain of where I’m going.”

The Get Down stood strong after the pandemic and offered a safe space at a turbulent time. Its greatest feat was attracting a diverse pool of folks who enjoyed a brown sugar banana cream latte or a bounce to the ounce mocha.

White said his brand of coffee will still be available through the Get Down’s website and various merchants, including Target. And he believes the new bistro will attract a similarly loyal clientele. He said his strongest customer base for the Get Down has been suburban white women, ages 18 to 50. He said that’s a testament to the commitment from his patrons, a commitment he believes will continue as he steps into a new venture and a new vision.

“I think in this town, we stagnate because we just accept the best of what we have instead of expecting to continue to evolve it,” White said. “If you look at the McDonald’s logo when it first started versus what it is now, they kept changing. You look at any great restaurant, any great technology, you’ve got to keep moving it forward. And I think the thing that holds Minnesota back, especially where Black culture is concerned, is that we confine it. It’s like, ‘That was good. That’s good enough. Leave it alone.’ I don’t believe that.”