Bellwood Coffee vows to recommission Jovita Moore mural in Grant Park

Local coffee shop Bellwood Coffee opened its sixth location in Grant Park last week. But the decision to paint over the mural of a beloved local public figure on the side of the building led to online backlash that eclipsed the coffee shop’s opening.

Prior to its April 25 debut, the owners of Bellwood Coffee painted over a mural memorializing late Channel 2 Action News anchor Jovita Moore after newly installed windows “significantly” cut into the painting. Moore, who joined Channel 2 in 1998, and won her first of eight Emmys in 2001, died from brain cancer in 2021. Beyond her Channel 2 anchor job, Moore was an advocate for local nonprofits, hosted numerous community events, and served as a mentor to local students.

“Jovita loved Atlanta, and Atlanta loved her back,” WSB-TV President and General Manager Marian Pittman told Rough Draft. “Whether she and her kids were volunteering with one of her many nonprofits, like Meals on Wheels Atlanta and Our House, or she was hosting any number of events in our community, her passion for the community was clear.”

Commissioned by Atlanta United Soccer, Moore’s mural in Grant Park was part of a series from artist Tommy Bronx depicting local trailblazers. Following its removal, people took to social media expressing their anger and disappointment over the erasure of Moore’s mural from the building at 568 Boulevard.

Bellwood Coffee quickly addressed the community backlash directly on Instagram, calling the mural’s removal a “mistake” and that they acted “without enough consideration.” They vowed to “make it right” with the mural’s recommission.

While some people praised the apology and promise to repaint the mural, others continued to question the owners’ disconnect on Moore’s legacy in Atlanta, sparking debate about gentrification within the city.

Atlanta Influences Everything co-founder Bem Joiner said it was clear that Bellwood Coffee didn’t know any better. “Once they found out, they tried to remedy it, and that’s the way to do it,” he said. “I think there’s a larger discussion here, if you don’t want this to continue happening, as Atlanta continues to grow. It’s Jovita today, it’ll be somebody tomorrow.”

Moore was an “early adopter” of Atlanta Influences Everything, Joiner added. “We had a personal relationship with Jovita. When she passed away, it hurt.”

Joiner feels the apology from Bellwood Coffee’s owners is genuine. He appreciates that they sought to rectify their mistake rather than claim ownership over the wall. Provided Bellwood Coffee recommissions Tommy Bronx for a bigger and better mural, Joiner sees no issue and urges people to move forward.

Several people have suggested that Bellwood Coffee make a more concerted effort to honor Moore, such as naming a drink for her or donating to the National Brain Tumor Society or Our House Atlanta. Moore was heavily involved with both nonprofit organizations.

“It’s been five years since her passing, and the WSB-TV family is overwhelmingly grateful for the way the community has joined us in embracing her legacy,” Pittman said of what Moore meant to the TV station and Atlanta.

Rough Draft reached out to Bellwood Coffee for comment on the replacement of the mural and whether Bronx will be the artist behind it again.

Owned by brothers Joel and Charles Norman and Tommy Keough, Bellwood Coffee first launched as a coffee cart in 2018. The first permanent location of Bellwood Coffee opened a year later in Atlanta’s Riverside neighborhood.

Bellwood Coffee now includes locations in Decatur, East Atlanta Village, Midtown, Underwood Hills, and Grant Park.

Beth McKibben contributed to this report.