Portrait Coffee: A Love Letter To The West End

Portrait Coffee, co-founder CEO Aaron Fender says the business aims to be more than just a café- it aims to be a community hub. Originally from Miramar, Florida, Fender moved to Metro Atlanta at the age of 12 and later earned a psychology degree from Kennesaw State University. Though he initially pursued mental health counseling, his experience as a barista revealed the need for a welcoming, restorative space where people could relax, recharge, or study. This insight fueled his vision for Portrait Coffee, Fender told The Atlanta Voice.“A lot of people just need a safe space, a third space, just to relax and recharge or study,” Fender said.The idea for Portrait Coffee was conceived in 2016 and was co-founded by three families: John and Shawndra Onwuchekwa, Aaron and his wife Erin, and Marcus Hollinger. Fender, as CEO, manages day-to-day operations with a team of approximately fifteen employees spanning both the café and the roasting facility. Fender and his business partners spent years conceptualizing a coffee shop that would serve as both a gathering place and a tribute to the neighborhood’s rich cultural history.“We all lived and worked in the neighborhood, and we just started having conversations about what it would...