Lola Memberr & Akila Stewart are Building Brooklyn’s Living Room with Saint James Libations

Photography by Breanna Nichelle

Chelsea is a Brooklyn-based writer with a background in public…

When you first walk into Saint James Libations at 269 Stanhope St, you automatically feel like you’ve stepped off the streets of Bushwick, into a cozy, safe space that feels all too familiar. The velvet couches, soft, low lighting, exposed brick and gold accents make it feel like home. This is exactly how owners, Lola Memberr and Akila Stewart want you to feel when you enter their space. “We want this to feel like Brooklyn’s living room,” Lola tells GROWN. After meeting at Pride, Lola and Akila found themselves seeking connection beyond the parasocial relationships that had become the norm in a post–Covid world. As Black, Queer women, Lola and Akila wanted to create a space where all were accepted.

Lola Memberr and Akila Stewart Photographed by Breanna Nichelle

Born in Saint James, Trinidad, Akila tells us that she had a classic story of being a West Indian teen and not being accepted by her family. Upon arriving in the US, she feels that as a Black, Queer woman, there’s a “target on your back from the moment you step out the door.” While that would be a deterrent for most people, in true Black woman fashion, Akila let her story be a source of resilience and a motivator to create a business that would last and become a third space where all are welcome.

“There are pros and cons to [not having your family accept you],” she says, “I learned independence from an early age, and for me, it’s my duty to show people that we belong everywhere, in every space. No matter your sex, religion, or race, you belong in every space as long as you are doing right by humanity.”

Conversely, Lola says that her family was a massive part of her support system. Her dad was her biggest motivator and even though he’s passed on, she still feels his presence in the space. She notes that buying the bar was a massive leap of faith, but backed by the motivation of her family, she took the leap and a year later, held the keys to what would soon become her and her partner’s very own wine bar.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Lola says that entrepreneurship is “in her blood.” Her finance background, combined with Akila’s twenty plus years as a professional sommelier in the hospitality industry, meant that the two were able to blend their respective business acumen and love of wine and music, to create the perfect third space together. One where people can find the connection Akila & Lola felt the absence of. Thus, Saint James Libations, a namesake of Akila’s hometown, was born.

“I knew I wanted to have a business for myself.” Lola says. “I knew that I wanted to take autonomy over my future and where it’s heading. So when I spent about a year looking for spaces, I was looking for a private event venue space, but I didn’t realize it would grow into what it’s going to be.”

And grow it did! Saint James Libations has evolved into a cornucopia of music, wine, arts and culture. The bar frequently hosts events where culture and community are at the forefront. Most recently, they had Konpa Night, which celebrated Haitian music. The night that we visited, they were prepping for their “Good and Grown Karaoke Night.” When they’re not having events, people just come to the bar to have a drink, commune and enjoy the music.

The night that I met them, the soundtrack was that of Kaytranada and Victoria Monét; a very upbeat atmosphere with house music setting the tone and feel. Between the two of them, they have a wide breadth of music in their arsenal. In fact, loving music is one of the first things that Aklia and Lola connected on. The two say that if the bar was a genre, it would be Amipiano, a subgenre of house music that originated in South Africa, old Caribbean Calypso, or Fado, a Portuguese genre of music.

They wanted the bar to pay homage to the Queer revolutionaries that came before them. Historically, Black and Queer people gathered, laughed and played music in the face of those actively trying to edge them out of communities they created. Similarly, the founders note how special it is to have this space. They feel it’s an act of rebellion to be a Black and Queer owned business in the rapidly gentrifying Bushwick community.

“I really saw the importance of opening something where everyone could come to. The difference between event spaces and bars or restaurants, is that they’re selected only for people that can purchase them. This on the other hand, the doors are open to people that we want to embrace. I think this is an act of rebellion because people like us are not in Bushwick. Bushwick has been completely gentrified and we’re finding ways to stay put instead of being boxed in.” Akila says.

Despite rising prices in the neighborhood, both Lola and Akila make sure that affordability and inclusion are always on the menu. They try to ensure that their wines are affordable and there is always a Black owned wine being poured. Being one of a few Queer, Black, masc presenting sommeliers, it was crucial that the bar support and employ people that reflect its founders, and the people they aim to serve.

“I don’t know how many Queer, Black masc somms there are out there. There’s probably like five,” Akila notes. “I would rarely see people who looked like me. When people saw me in positions they were shocked. It just made me realize that people were shocked that I was as smart as I was, doing my job as a Black masc presenting woman. This is bigger than me just opening a bar.” She emphasized that she found joy in her community and breaking the status quo. That means employing people who not only looked like her, but shared her passion and expertise for wine.

Lola on the other hand considers herself more of a hobbyist when it comes to wine but feels the mission just as strongly. Outside of being a business owner, she believes that having joy as a Black, Queer woman in the best of times is an act of rebellion. In times such as these, though, where political tension and economic uncertainty mar the joyous upcoming holiday season, choosing to have joy is downright revolutionary.

“[Joy] is an act. It’s a choice, something that you choose to do everyday” she says, “it’s easy to get side swept in the crazy stuff that’s all around you, but for me, I’ve always been this type of person.” She credits her perpetual optimism to her parents whom she says were “glass half full” kind of people. “They were always like, at the end of the day, things could be better, but they could be much worse, and they are much worse for a lot of people. So you have to choose to practice gratitude and choose joy.”

All in all, these two are giving us a masterclass in what it means to be rebellious and create your own community and joy in the face of a society that would much rather Black women be silent and depressed. For them, this third space that they’ve created in their corner of Brooklyn contributes to the spirit of revolution and love that so many of their ancestors embodied before them. Lola quips that the bar being in Brooklyn feels very full circle as this is where her parents met. She also draws the comparison that the third spaces that exist today, albeit few and far between, are reminiscent of those that were present during the Renaissance.

“Third spaces are so important because they provide that space for connection and dialogue that breeds brainstorming, connecting with one another and pooling resources. I’m always saying to Akila, where we are right now in this time and the political climate we’re in, reminds me so much of the ingredients that bred the Renaissance.”

Akila echoed her partner’s sentiment saying that “people don’t socialize as much as they used to. That’s something that’s a thing of the past. Third spaces are so important because you have to go back to that real, in depth connection. You know who’s a part of your community and I think third spaces allow access for us to get back out there, get off our phones and really have more contacts when it comes to meeting and building with each other.”

If you are looking for an opportunity to build community before the year ends, join GROWN Magazine at Saint James Libations on December 27th for Girls Night: A Pajama Party by Adwoa Beauty. We hope to see you there for a night in celebration of the year, our audience, and the Centering Third Spaces Cover Series featuring Gladys Books & Wine and A Safe Space Mentor.

This interview was edited for length and clarity