Coffee shop owner was devastated by the threat of a corporate takeover—she didn't know a celeb had her back

Starting a small business in the heart of New York City is no child's play. But Rachel Rose–who goes by @its.rachel.rose on TikTok–had taken up the challenge by starting her coffee shop, Buddies Coffee (@buddiesbk), 4 years ago in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with a few thousand dollars and the support of her boyfriend, Taylor. Recently, she received the biggest blow of her life when she learned that she might not be able to stay at her location due to a sudden rent hike. She posted an emotional video, seeking help from the public to support her business.

Through the caption of her video, Rose clarified that she never wanted to compete with other businesses around her, but the news of the corporate takeover completely shattered her. “What most of you know Williamsburg as now is this annoying place that you hate or you love, but it was a predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood before all the gentrification wiped so many people away,” Rose, a Puerto Rican woman herself, explained in her video. She expressed her concerns about a new coffee shop that was set to open right next to hers, threatening her business. Feeling defeated and fearful about her uncertain future, she uploaded the video on TikTok.

After posting the heartbreaking video, Rose received an outpouring of love and support from the community. Also, singer Joe Jonas left a comment on the video and visited Buddies Coffee too. “You are awesome. I’m coming to support.” Jonas commented under the video. Then he took to his own TikTok page to share a clip, where he visited the coffee shop in Brooklyn the same day. “Hi guys, I am walking over to this coffee shop. I saw this amazing and heartbreaking video and I want to support it. I think you should too,” Jonas, who has over 6 million followers on the platform, urged his fans through his short video. As a result, more people learned about Rose's plight and started lining up outside her shop to buy coffee.

Rose later posted a follow-up video to express her gratitude for the wave of support she received online and offline. “I’m thankful to all of you. Thank you for listening to me,” she shared. “Thank you for just showing up and letting the community know that we’re not alone. That it’s okay to speak up about being fearful.” Buddies Coffee sales skyrocketed within a short time and their signature drink, the Coquito Latte, became popular amongst caffeine aficionados, as reported by PEOPLE. However, the fate of Buddies Coffee remained uncertain as Rose noted that she had 6 to 7 months left on their lease.

The TikTok community supported Rose and her coffee shop in every way possible and shared wholesome comments on her first video. @eldestmillenial commented, "From one Puerto Rican woman to another I love you. I reposted it to my million followers in hopes we can get them to find you. Please don’t give up." @cosmicasash shared, "Check your contract. They shouldn’t be allowed to put another coffee shop next door. It’s definitely worth fighting for. You’ve been there for 4 years." @newyorkbucketlist wrote, "Just reposted. Starting anything in New York is one of the hardest things anyone can do. Keep going, Rachel. You got this!" @4rosales76 added, "I'm currently boycotting Starbucks and Dunkin. I'm only buying from local coffee shops. Hold your head high. TikTok will make her coffee shop successful. May she make enough to find a new space."

You can follow Rachel Rose (@its.rachel.rose) on TikTok for more content about her cafe.