LANSING, Mich. — A queer, woman-owned coffee shop in downtown Lansing received a threatening letter, prompting the coffee shop to close it's two locations Tuesday morning.
Strange Matter Coffee, located in eastside and downtown Lansing, received the 10-page letter that was postmarked for over two weeks ago. The letter contained specific dates, images of hate and threatening phrases directed towards the coffee shop, according to an Instagram post from the shop.
Another queer-identified coffee shop in Detroit, The Gathering Coffee Co., received a similar threatening letter. According to Strange Matter Coffee, the letters were from the same writer, and the letter received by the Detroit location was "far more terrifying" than the letter received by Strange Matter Coffee.
The Gathering Coffee Co. launched a GoFundMe last week after it closed its doors. Some money has been raised to pay for a temporary security team, but the shop is still looking for donations so it won't have to re-close from lack of security in the future. The Gathering Coffee Co. is aiming to reopen on Wednesday, March 1. More information can be found on The Gathering Coffee Co. Instagram page.
While some of the dates listed in the letter to Strange Matter Coffee have already passed, the locations will still be closed out of precaution for the employees. It is still unknown as to when Strange Matter Coffee will reopen its doors.
This is a developing story.
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