New Mexico runs on Humble

On Saturday, Aug. 10, Humble Coffee Co. celebrated its 10th birthday with a bash and block party at its Nob Hill location. The party was not just a celebration of Humble, but a celebration of local businesses in Albuquerque as a whole. The area around the coffee shop teemed with local artists, handmade jewelry, circus performers, taxidermy artists, tarot readers and food trucks.

The event organizer and owner of Heck Yeah Vintage, Virginia Hilliard, said that part of the importance of events like the Humble Birthday Bash is to bring people together and give small artisans a place to showcase their wares.

“Instead of going to one shop to buy one thing, you’re coming to an event to see everyone, to find different things and to celebrate together,” Hilliard said.

The original vision for the coffee shop was a small, almost secret place — hence the name “Humble” — that would provide a high-quality alternative to chain coffee, according to owner Mark Baker.

As the business blossomed, Humble began to host two major annual events — the Birthday Bash in the summer and a holiday market the Saturday before Christmas — to bolster not only itself, but other small businesses.

“It’s really about building community. It’s not just about the coffee and serving quality coffee, it’s about bringing people together and supporting the creative culture in Albuquerque … It’s all about local, because I’m a big believer in growing Albuquerque,” Baker said.

Humble sells local pastries — such as those from Bristol Doughnut Co. — and uses beans from Trifecta Coffee Co., which focuses on equitable and ethical coffee production, according to its website.

“Local business is extra important in Albuquerque, because we’re a mid-tier city; we’re not a big city. If you support chains in this town, a large part of the money you spend gets sent out of town to corporate,” Baker said.

Baker specifically referenced a 2022 Small Business Economic Impact Study that found for “every dollar spent with a local business, over two-thirds ($0.68) stays in the local community to support local families, local causes and other local businesses.”

Small businesses keep money within the community, which leads to a healthier economy that can lead to the betterment of other facets of New Mexican life, such as education, according to  Baker.

Hilliard also discussed the ways strong small businesses impact communities both large and small. Local businesses provide an alternative to big box stores and overconsumption, she said.

“I think it’s important to support small businesses because it’s the butcher, the baker and the 

candlestick-maker that make the community thrive. We make the neighborhood, we make the city, we make the town, we make the community,” Hilliard said.

Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo