“Looking for a one-of-a-kind experience that will inspire hope, joy, purpose, community, and connection? Come explore SHINE! All profits go to help single moms lead their families in wholeness, confidence, courage, and joy.”

There’s a new venue open in Downtown Tyler, and it unlike anything in the area. It’s a combination of coffee, art, and community.

“Shine is a nonprofit that was really founded so that we can do three things,” said Founder Suzy Stjernstrom. “Love people, raise hope and bless the city is our mission. And we do that by hosting the interactive experience through art and then the coffee space that’s adjacent. And then all the profits that come from here go to benefit programs for single moms. So it’s really several layers of things that we do, but for the community…they can come in and get a cup of coffee and go through the art experience.”

Coffee and Gathering

“Shine coffee is meant to be, not really about coffee or art or the sweet desserts that we have here available for people to get, but really it’s more about the experience of coming in and being seen, being able to connect in meaningful ways with other people,” said Stjernstrom. “I think of it kind of like downtown Tyler’s living room. Come in here, connect with people, relax and be seen. We have a big mural that says ‘You Belong Here,’ and that’s really the essence of who we are. And so the coffee is amazing, but it’s really not just about that. It’s about the experience once you get here.”

Learn more about the coffee shop here.

Interactive Experience

“What makes Shine unique and a place that we really believe everybody in East Texas would enjoy coming to is the fact that we have an interactive art exhibit,” said Creative Director Amber Payne. “And that’s not something that you find a lot of places and it’s right here in East Texas in the heart of Tyler.”

The interactive art experience is a self-guided tour with different installations created by local artists.

“One of the things that we hope that people experience and feel as they go through our Shine interactive art exhibit is space to really absorb each of the different rooms and the creations that our local artists have made in each space,” said Payne. “And so we really want each and every person to have space to absorb that message, whatever that is for them to receive, and go through each of the exhibits without interruption.”

So how does the exhibit work?

You’ll begin by scanning a QR code which allows you to read the artist’s statement and understand the ‘why’ behind what they created. From there, you will be lead through the exhibit and have the chance to interact with the art in each room. You’ll also be invited to put your own unique mark in each space. At the end of the tour, you can map your own personality on their people wall, snap photos in their different photo-op spots, and then step into the gathering space to enjoy a cup of coffee and explore the conversations the experience inspires.

Learn more about the interactive experience here.

No matter which you choose, Shine makes your experience even better because all profits raised helps single moms lead their families with confidence and joy. That’s the beauty and the joy behind it all. Shine is many people coming together around one shared mission: Love People. Raise Hope. Bless the City.

Shine is located at 108 & 112 S Broadway in Tyler.

The current hours of operation for the coffee shop and interactive art exhibit are:

Click here to visit their website.

And click here to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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