Our Story

The Mermaid Cafe is the dream of Leah Meyer and family. We will be one of San Antonio’s first and only disabilities first coffee shop, where diversity isn’t just welcomed, it’s celebrated in everything we do.

Leah’s dream since she was a little girl has been to be cooking or creating tasty foods and drinks, which inspired the launch of Cooking with Leah a cooking show where Leah made incredible foods and expressed her creativity through her passion for cooking. 

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The Mermaid Cafe - A dream that can come true Image

A dream that can come true

Leah is a chef at heart and has always dreamt of having her own restaurant.  At first we thought it was a fleeting idea, but she has never wavered from it.  She’s even kept  the same name “Mermaid Cafe” whenever she spoke about it. For years we have been talking about what the Mermaid Cafe would look like…what would be on the menu, and all of the people that would visit.  One thing we knew for sure is that we wanted it to be a place for people of all abilities to be able to work and make a valuable contribution to society.  We want to positively change the perception that people have of those that may be different from themselves.

When we found out that Leah was going to have Down Syndrome, the geneticist told us she would be “more alike than different”.  We want those that visit the Mermaid Cafe to see the beauty that we see.

We have been saving up for years, but this special mission is going to take a lot more funds to get us where we need to be.  In order to make our workplace accessible, we will use equipment that requires less fine motor skills, fewer steps when completing tasks, and pictures for those that cannot read, just to name a few..  Because of Karen’s  experience as a speech language pathologist, and Drew’s as an operations manager of a food truck company, we know we have the skillset to make Leah’s dream a reality.

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Get Rewards

Explore our available rewards or make a contribution to make Leah’s dream for the Mermaid Cafe a reality!
$24,300 Pledged* *Updated Daily

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Simply want to see The Mermaid Cafe thrive and grow? Well thank you for selecting this option, your contribution goes a long way towards making this dream a reality.
Name Your Price
Personalized Thank You Note

Personalized Thank You Note

A special thank you from all of us at The Mermaid Cafe
$10
$5 off 5 Visits

$5 off 5 Visits

Pay it forward with your coffee paid in advance and a sweet treat for our mission!
$25
The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Tote Bag

The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Tote Bag

Get your own Limited Edition Mermaid Cafe launch tote bag and show your support for our mission.
$40
The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Launch Coffee Mug

The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Launch Coffee Mug

Get your own Limited Edition Mermaid Cafe launch coffee mug and show your support for our mission.
$50
The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Launch T-shirt

The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Launch T-shirt

Get your own Limited Edition Mermaid Cafe launch t-shirt (1- choose your color) and show your support for our mission.
$60
The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Bundle

The Mermaid Cafe Limited Edition Bundle

Get your own Limited Edition Mermaid Cafe launch coffee mug AND a limited edition t-shirt (1 - choose your color) to show your support for our mission.
$125
Your Name Featured on our Founder's Table

Your Name Featured on our Founder's Table

Have Leah handwrite your name on our Founder's Table inside The Mermaid Cafe! We’ll be thinking of you every time we enter the cafe and your name will be presented for all our customers to appreciate!
$250
If you’d like to support our campaign via mail-in contribution. Please notate your desired reward, return address, and mail to:

5003 Walzem RD

Box 532

San Antonio, TX 78218

Checks can be made payable to The Mermaid Cafe