I love this cafe. When I am in town from New Jersey I make a point to stop here with my teen…read moredaughter (who request to come here as well ).5 stars all around

"It's not just Medusa that I have to fear," Diana of the Wild Isle, Daughter of Circe, and the Last…read moreof the Amazons, reminds herself as she steps confidently towards danger in Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis's Absolute Wonder Woman Annual #1 (2026). "First, it will be her sisters. Stheno and Euryale. Gorgons...'Dread monsters' in the oldest texts....And yet, they have stayed by their sister's side, even though a glance from her would turn them into stone. That is love," Diana realizes, even as she contemplates that, soon, the misty cave floor under her feet will be beset with violence, meted out by Medusa's sisters, before Diana even gets a chance to explain that she is trespassing in the hopes of obtaining for Medusa the ultimate form of social justice: permanent chances for her to "look other soul[s] in the eyes...and be seen." The Black female ownership, the management, and the staff at Love Life Cafe, a snug coffee house nestled at 929 Washington Blvd in Laurel, Maryland, are fully aware how being seen is intertwined with social justice, kindness, and customer service. Black artists' drawings and paintings, some of which are for sale, adorn the walls, including "Wakanda Forever," featuring Chadwick Boseman, whom the world heartbreakingly lost too soon to cancer; "Say Their Names: Black Lives Matter," featuring Sandra Bland; whom her communities bitterly lost to police brutality; and, in a hope-filled change of pace, "Looking Up at Greatness," depicting two-year-old Parker Curry's recognition and wonder at seeing Amy Sherald's portrait of Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery in March of 2018. So far, my wife has enjoyed a life-sized latte with extra hot cardamom oat milk; a life-sized cafe au Lait with the same; an açaí bowl, minus the honey and adding kiwi, pineapple, and mango; and a life-sized Hollaback Girl latte. Meanwhile, I was thrilled to devour a banana, cinnamon, and vanilla frappe appropriately dubbed "Monkey Business."

Many business owners think about their products and services from the perspective of a provider or…read morevendor. Not the customer. Here's some advice: Walk through your business the way a customer would. How do they enter your space or navigate your website? How easily can they identify what they need? How smoothly is their order fulfilled? Where are the natural opportunities to upsell or add value? What does the payment experience feel like? Every step shapes their perception of your brand. If customers sense high effort, confusion, or indifference from staff, they will look elsewhere. Of the four customers I saw during the visit to your location: 1) the first one was frustrated because the ingredients advertised weren't available, so instead of being guided to an alternative she had to make that choice, 2) The second customer was frustrated because there was only one person working, and while this individual was making his order, the soul worker did not acknowledge any of the other customers, so he was frustrated when the customers pulled his attention away from crafting his order, leaving him with a negative experience, 3) the third. Customer was clearly frustrated because she was purchasing premade juices, but still had to wait an under amount of time before even being acknowledged by staff, 4) the fourth customer (myself) after waiting in line and have to ask a new employee who just came on shift if I could be helped was immediately informed by the staff regarding what they were out of and what they didn't have. Here's a tip: Instead of delivering a flat "we're out," train your team to offer alternatives that keep the experience positive. If you're out of vanilla on a hot day, guide the customer toward other refreshing options. They came to you to solve a problem--thirst, hunger, comfort--and your job is to preserve that momentum. When your marketing has already done the work of getting someone to your door or onto your site, honor that investment. Even if you can't provide the exact product they wanted, create a smooth transition so you don't lose the sale, the relationship, or the goodwill. Your brand, values, and reputation are being formed in real time. Inconsistency, poor service, indifference, or discourtesy can undermine your business before it gains traction. A customer‑centered process is your competitive advantage. For customers who are trying to support your business, especially as a black owned business, you are making it hard for customers to give you their money. Please fix this.

Hey friends! I…read moredecided to stop in here after a Barre class one day and I've been hooked since! Consistently great smoothies and customer service. My usual order is a Green Warrior($11). It's so good! I really appreciate that fresh fruits rather than concentrates are used in their smoothies. And no added sugar is a super plus! Customer service is consistently friendly. Parking is free and ample. Their rewards system is one of the best systems I've signed up for. I acquire rewards often. Hope you enjoy! With love, The Picky Pescatarian

Utterly fantastic!…read more This is located near the Outback Steakhouse, Mezeh, and Nando's att Laurel Town Center. There was no wait in line, the cashier was friendly and helpful and competent on the register, the smoothies were made quickly, and the taste of both was phenomenal! I got the 20 oz smoothie, which is ample for one adult. The customer service is on point! All three employees greeted me, acknowledged me, and/or thanked me, which is super nice. It really changes your mood when the team members are in a positive and upbeat mood. There is plenty of seating inside and outside. I'll definitely be back!

Since I was shopping in the area, I tried this location. I ordered my usual smoothie. The ordering…read moreprocess was smooth and efficient. I had a coupon for $3 off that disappeared from my app, but I had another coupon for $2 off, so it still worked out. My smoothie was good with the right consistency and flavor. It was not watered down, but also not too thick to sip through the straw. This location was very clean and neat and did not have that overpowering smell of bleach in the air that some locations sometimes do. I also noticed that this location had a little sitting area and tables and chairs. Some locations have seating and some don't. I like this location.

Fueling up for an adventure with a healthy on-the-go lunch from @riseup_nutrition…read more Definitely a pricy option but I'll treat myself every now and then!! @@jus2blkgirlseating #PeanutButterCup #onthego #travel #photography #ontheroad #breakfast #healthy #healthylifestyle #coffee #foodie #vegan #healthyfood #adventure #follow #love #fitness #food #lifestyle #summer #instagood #roadtrip #mealprep #lunch #yummy #explore #delicious #momlife #fashion #happy #glutenfree

I had a minute to stop on my way in to the barbershop. I have been wanting to try Rise Up for some…read moretime now, so I stopped in. Upon entering, I received a warm and delightful greeting from Kristin and Grace. They explained their menu concept and services they offered. It just also happened to be Wednesday and on every Wednesday, they offer waffles and each waffle with any topping of your choice. Each waffle has up to 22 grams of protein. RISE UP offers a healthy snack/meal choice for shakes, teas, and snacks. Shakes have around 24g of protein, 24 vitamins and Minerals, with up to 350 calories based on the shake option. On my first visit, I ordered the Salted Caramel Mocha. Yes, it taste as good as it sounds. On my second visit, I ordered the waffles with bananas and strawberries. It is equally as good as the shake I had. Gluten free options are available. Stop in and give Rise UP a try. They also offer fitness programs and they support those living healthier lifestyles.

I go out of my way to get this tea! My favorite is The peach…read moregreen tea with mango jelly. What I love most is that you can customize your sweetness and make the drink your own. Customer service is always 10/10 and I appreciate the simple but trendy decor that really adds to the ambiance!

Food tastes good, bubble tea yes awesome! But the location has no splash guards. That's for sure a…read morehealth violation. I literally stood at the kiosk to put in my order and could stick my finger in the boba they were plumping. I even asked if they were recently opened and planned a splashguard for all the fruit teas they have sitting with no covers. They said no. I cringed and left quickly. Absolutely not sanitary to serve customers and not have covers for food items or a splashguard.

Great place with wonderful customer service and the owners are the staff. They want you to return…read moreand are very accommodating. The food is great and they have veggie/vegan options. It is a great location to hang for any old reason. I try to get stop by as often as I can.

More than Java Cafe is a hidden gem. At least they were to me. I visited for a friend's birthday…read moregathering, and didn't quite know what to expect outside of the glowing reviews that my friend gave about the brunch items. I had the Jerk Chicken & Egg, potatoes, and drip coffee. Everything was delicious, and I had plenty of food leftover for later. The owners were hilarious when they joked with me about my tolerance for spicy food. The Jerk Chicken Sandwich (wrapped in coco bread) is advertised as spicy, but it wasn't overwhelming to me. The service was timely, and everyone was kind. There's plenty of seating to choose from, and you can explore the other small businesses while you wait for your food. If you're looking for a small Black owned business to support, I highly recommend More than Java Cafe. The food is delicious and the service is on point. I will definitely return when I'm in the area.

Katherine was very awesome, she was friendly fast and patient. I ordered 2 bacon ranch flat breads…read moreand a smooth spent around $24. The flat bread was good just wish it had more meat & bacon! It tasted like a bacon ranch pizza lol. Overall inside was clean and well stocked will be back when I'm area.

Continuing runner-ups of original out of town picks, representing 2021, T is for Tropical Smoothie…read more I visited the Laurel location maybe 2 or 3 times in 2021 and maybe once or twice since then. My August 2021 visit, I wasn't impressed with this location, and my subsequent visit I also had issues. So, like other locations smoothies & food are solid. However, in August 2021, the cashier wasn't terribly friendly. I went with his side recommendation with my flatbread or wrap purchase for the sweet potato instead of getting my usual, which is chips. I didn't like them that well; they were weak in my opinion. Further, this guy was wearing a Freedom for Palestine mask. If you're working in customer service, don't wear something that is political as people have different opinions and that can alienate some customers. The next time I went there, it was different cashier, and she was unfriendly too. I think she wanted to charge me a quarter for a water cup too. Since it was only a quarter and not a full amount, I might've paid and still been a customer that time. But it turned me off from the Laurel location. I may have gone one other time, but it may have been to redeem a freebie like going there to get the free smoothie on National Smoothie Day.

The menu has everything! Açaí bowls, pitaya bowls, green smoothies, Greek yogurt bowls. You can…read moremake your own and add additional toppings/protein powder. The bowls are packed with fresh and healthy ingredients. It's a perfect snack/meal and I'd definitely come back to try other menu items.

Located in the revamped Burtonsville Crossing! I stopped by yesterday for a bowl. I was greeted…read moreright away and offered assistance. I took a minute to decide what to get. I settled on the mango berry bowl. It came with strawberries, blueberries, granola, honey and mango. It was tasty but a bit pricey.

Really cute and nice market! They have a lot of vegan options and organic options!…read more I like how they have a little mini store where you can buy a vegan hot dog, or a smoothie, etc. I got the vegan dog and a peanut butter smoothie. Unsure the name of it. It was good I enjoyed both. I absolutely love how they have a lot of Biblical books, bibles, Bible stuff for children here. A lot of neat and amazing stuff I look forward to reading! My husband got me the comic version of the Bible and it's beautiful and I can't wait to read it. They even sell organic soaps, oils, etc. it's a nice store to stop by and check out. Overall happy to come here again and will be back!

We go here mostly every other week to get refill on our water Bottles. My husband and i found it…read moreconvenient instead of going all the way to Walmart for PRIMO water station refill. Saves us a lot of time and gas since it's in a shopping plaza with Target, Aldis, Giant, 5 below and so on. They have a lot of Organic or vegetarian or vegan stuff. They also have toiletries and other things but the most products they have is more God Related books bibles, and other types of books related to spirituality. I like coming here since they have so much stufd to offer. And the prices aren't bad either.