Homies Text

3/3/15 

Homies is a project cafe with a principle of financial equality, the cafe is run by young volunteers and nothing on the menu has a set price. The cafe is a place for people to take time out in the city, with lots of space, a library, film screenings and performances.Following a growth internationally of the Gift Economy, Homies is “putting Wellington customers to the test and asking the tough questions: are we ready to take responsibility for our share in the market? What is preventing young people from taking action for the future we want? Is ‘caring’ a commodity?” 


Following five years in the hospitality experience, organiser Naomi Smith is looking to connect quality service and community growth. Operating as a Social Enterprise, all proceeds earned at the cafe go back into stimulating projects and commissioning artists. Volunteers are being given the chance to create their own role in the project, whose experience crosses hospitality, journalism, film and music management. “Growing a community takes more than the people,” says Naomi, “it takes active nourishment. Within the umbrella of Homies Cosy Teahouse, everything is catered for.”

Cool shit doesn’t happen on its own. It needs space to breathe, a community to nurture it, a means for ideas to be shared, and endless coffee/tea/kai to stimulate the minds involved. At Homies, every possible resource that you need to grow your creativity is catered for koha! Whether you come in to kill time between classes, after going to the sunday market, to see some live music, to work on your projects, or just to get of the house and out of the rain, you are part of the wellington culture and there’s a space in here with your name on it. 

Our mission is to bring people and ideas together, with a monthly zine outlining events coming up, and collecting all the great stuff that happens each month. I like to think that we all have something unique to offer the space.. stories, art, ideas, protests: and I want to celebrate that! The more you give, the more this community will thrive, and resemble the Wellington that you want for the future. To get involved, contact Naomi on 022 LIL SKUX or leave your idea on our facebook wall! Let’s see what can happen with time, people, and resources.

What happens with the profit?

Homies is set up as a social enterprise. 

Initially I wanted to run it as a not-for-profit organization, with all donations going back into ensuring Homies sustainability. Social enterprise takes this one step further. 

When you choose what you pay for your experience at the cafe, after covering basic costs such as the rent, supply and amenities, the overflow goes into our project budget. Anyone with a rad idea can submit their project online. We will review your project and help you to start up: projects are chosen each week and are assessed in accordance to the Homies philosophy. The idea is that any spare change you put toward the cafe will come back to you in the form of cool new interactive projects, designed to enrich the culture of wellington. 

As well as the project budget, we are using some of the profit to fly musicians from around new zealand (and potentially further) to wellington. Homies is teaming up with Eyegum Music Collective to offer bands two shows for their visit, one at the HQ and one at a secret house party. 
Just think what saying ‘keep the change’ could bring to the city!

 Homies is designed to take wellington into a new era. The cafe culture in this city is outstanding, something the world is taking notice of. As well as providing work for many creative and intelligent young people, it also provides a public area for people to share and interact with each other. Our generation is moving away from the declining capitalist trend where human interaction is monetized. We want to offer an open space (operating on a gift economy) that brings people together over the most primal human interactions: consumption, ideas and music. It is primarily for, and run by, young locals who share its vision: at least 40 volunteers so far, who trade their time for experience. Caring for people has its own reward: expanding this city’s potential.