A popular coffee spot in Charlotte Amalie served its last cups on Backstreet Friday as it prepared for a new chapter. After 10 years in downtown, the My Brother’s Workshop Cafe & Bakery is relocating to the organization’s Estate Donoe complex, where expanded facilities will allow the program to grow.
The familiar blue shutters that have greeted customers each morning were drawn closed by noon, but inside, staff continued serving until the end. Regulars stopped by for one more lunch, including Chef Ashley Allen, who now leads the workshop’s culinary training program.
Allen said the move brings exciting opportunities. The new Donoe facility spans 10,000 square feet and features six kitchens—space enough to train more students simultaneously. Plans also include a smaller, street-level cafe at Market Square East, offering easy access for businesses, shoppers, and residents.
The shift means saying goodbye to the Backstreet location, as well as relocating other MBW operations like the woodworking shop at Tutu Park Mall. “We are very excited and as well very sad to leave the location, but we’re looking forward to the new opportunities and the new venture that we are moving into,” Allen said.
The cafe was originally launched under then-MBW Director Scott Bradley and built as a hands-on construction project for trainees. Its success led to a thriving business that has doubled as a training ground for at-risk youth in culinary arts.
About 30 students enroll each year, gaining skills in cooking, baking, kitchen maintenance, and customer service. Since opening, roughly 150 students have completed the program at Backstreet, with many moving into the workforce.
During those years, then-owners Topa Properties restored a piece of history at the site, also known as Bakery Square. A free-standing oven just outside the kitchen was once part of the original Lockhart Bakery. “The Charlotte Amalie Fire Insurance Map of 1897 shows the kitchen structure in place. I know it’s at least 130 years in age,” said State Historic Preservation Office Director Sean Krigger.
The property’s new owner, Crystal Blue Operations, has informed preservation officials it intends to ensure any future use stays in compliance with historic district guidelines.
