Café Ora’s co-founder, Meiko Seymour, poses with his daughter, Portlynn, and his wife, Simone Seymour. Image Courtesy of Uncommon City.
Residents in South St. Petersburg can look forward to a new cafe opening later this year, thanks to St. Petersburg’s community leader and advocate, Meiko Seymour, co-founder of Café Ora.
Seymour is no stranger to working in his community and carries a “boots on the ground” mindset. He serves in roles such as lead pioneer and co-founder of Uncommon City, a contemplative church plant rooted in downtown St. Petersburg that launched in February 2025; City of St. Petersburg Housing Authority’s commissioner and Rise Development director; president of the Historic Roser Park Neighborhood Association, and an ordained minister with the International Ministry Network.
Meiko Seymour is co-founder and lead pastor of Uncommon City, a contemplative church plant rooted in downtown St. Petersburg. Image courtesy of Uncommon City on Facebook.
In addition to these extensive roles, Seymour is also the co-founder of Café Ora: Social Enterprise Coffee Shop. This operational third space is designed for residents of South St. Petersburg and will focus on creating an inviting and welcoming area for the neighborhood.
“Everything I do sits at the same intersection: contemplative spirituality, racial equity, and community development. Café Ora is a direct expression of that convergence,” said Seymour.
Café Ora’s tentative soft launch is set for August 2026. The shop will be located within The Looking Glass Initiative at 908 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South in St. Petersburg and will occupy approximately 1,600 square feet. The interior is built with comfort in mind, featuring high ceilings, space for a mix of bar seating, tables, and lounge areas, ample outlets, and free Wi-Fi. Original artwork by Nick Davis and other artists will decorate the space.
Core operational hours will be Monday through Friday from 7 am to 3 pm, Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm, and Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm. Select evenings will extend the cafe’s lounge nights, featuring wine, occasional live performances, neighborhood get-togethers, and community programming. During daytime hours, it’s a specialty coffee house; during the evenings, it’s a communal space with nightlife events; “the coffee anchors us, and the programming is the heartbeat.”
Seymour hopes that the new cafe will create economic opportunities and employment pathways for individuals with non-violent records, anchor a stretch of the South MLK corridor, and host programming around education, health equity, the arts, and children’s development. The cafe exists to create meaningful conversations and hosts programs that address needs, including financial literacy, housing rights, health equity, creative expression, and children’s programming.
“The goal is dignity. It is an opportunity. It is a place where the Southside community can walk in and immediately feel that this space was built for them,” said Seymour.
Café Ora is intentionally developed for residents of the South St. Petersburg community. As a community leader, Seymour observed a lack of “relational space[s]” for residents on the southside and made it his mission to create an open third space where residents can gather and belong, “a space with no pressure.”
“Café Ora is a justice project of Uncommon City. We believe good coffee and a beautiful space can be a vehicle for something much deeper: belonging, opportunity, and the kind of communal life that is harder and harder to find,” stated Seymour.
Café Ora partners with Look Alive Coffee, a regional specialty roaster based in the Tampa Bay area, for their source of beans. The cafe’s menu will feature specialty espresso drinks, including lattes, drip coffee, pour-overs, and cold brew served on nitrogen. Food options, including pastries, light bites, and grab-and-go options, are sourced from local bakers and food entrepreneurs.
Payment methods include cash, card, and digital options. An additional payment method will be available — a community fund. Customers will have the option to add a dollar or two to their purchase, which will cover the cost of food and drinks for those without the means to pay. Alternatively, the coffee shop is also exploring a payment model in which those who cannot pay can contribute to the shop’s space in exchange for their tab. The idea is for no one to be turned away, “dignity runs in every direction here.”
Seymour, holds ministry credentials with International Ministries Network (IMN), is currently getting his Masters of Theology and Social Justice at Northeastern Seminary. And holds certifications in Trauma Informed Ministry, Executive NonProfit Leadership, and Thriving Leaders Certificate from Portland Seminary and The Leadership Center.
Seymour’s various roles in the community have equipped him to open not just a coffee shop, but a residential communal space in St. Pete’s southside.
As Housing Authority Commissioner, he learned how policies can open doors for marginalized people; as a Race Equity Listener, he understood how to navigate systems that weren’t built with those who looked like him in mind. Leading the Historic Roser Park Neighborhood Association taught him how to organize people around a shared vision; serving as the Rise Development Director at the Housing Authority gave him a direct view of the pipeline between housing instability and workforce barriers.
Maybe most importantly, over 20 years in ministry have taught Seymour how to listen and build trust in communities.
Café Ora’s tagline is simple: “Made for Neighbors.”
“Whether you invest, donate, volunteer, show up on opening day, or just tell someone who needs to hear about it, you are part of building this. The table is being set. Pull up a chair,” said Seymour.
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