Iconic entrepreneur’s spirit pours into ‘Sarah’s Blend’ amid KC fundraiser for Black Movie Hall of Fame

Every cup needs filled, said coffee co-founder Reggie Harris, noting sometimes the richest flavors come from unexpected sources. His latest blend draws inspiration from a community in search of its own roast and the legacy of an entrepreneur who refused to let her own pot go cold.

Kansas City-based House of Koffee partnered this fall with the Black Movie Hall of Fame to launch Sarah’s Blend, a cinnamon coffee with notes referencing Sarah Rector — a Black businesswoman from Oklahoma who turned an unexpected childhood oil discovery in the early 1900s into a lavish life of wealth and headlines.

Her journey ultimately brought her to Kansas City where she built a home and partied with Jazz era celebrities the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

Sarah’s Blend by House of Koffee; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Harris specifically saw parallels between that time period, Kansas City’s resurgent jazz district today, and the opportunity to fill a gap in the market, he said.

“Obviously, you’ve got the story of Sarah Rector, but as I started walking around and talking with people in that 18th and Vine area, there was nowhere to get a cup of coffee,” he continued.

Sarah’s Blend is available online as 12-ounce ground coffee for $22 and in 30-count K-Cup boxes for $28.

The partnership behind the blend grew out of House of Koffee’s involvement with “An Evening with Sarah Rector: The Untold Story” — a one-woman theatrical production presented by The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City this summer at the historic Boone Theater, 1701 E. 18th St.

That show was produced by Shawn Edwards, a direct descendant of Rector who also serves as executive director of the Black Movie Hall of Fame within the Boone Theater.

Twenty percent of profits from eligible, tracked Sarah’s Blend sales will go to the Black Movie Hall of Fame, which celebrates the achievements and cultural contributions of Black artists and filmmakers while preserving and sharing Black film history through events, storytelling, programming and community engagement.

‘None of that’s just by accident’

Sarah Rector was born in Indian Territory (near what is now Taft, Oklahoma) in 1902 and became one of the wealthiest Black women in the United States after oil was discovered on land allotted to her family — once enslaved by the Muscogee Creek Nation — after the Civil War.

A movie based on her life — “Sarah’s Oil — was released in 2025 by Amazon MGM Studios. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Rector’s story has become a powerful example of entrepreneurship and opportunity during a period when economic opportunities were heavily restricted for Black Americans, particularly Black women, Harris said.

House of Koffee centers its roasts as part of a routine built on focus, discipline, quality, and intentional living. Rector’s entrepreneurial spirit folds into the blend, he continued, even down to one of its defining ingredients.

The coffee is a Colombian blend, with House of Koffee also working with partners to make Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees available. The company describes the broader concept as “Coffee With Purpose,” connecting the everyday ritual of coffee with entrepreneurship and community investment.

“So that all is with intention,” said Harris. “None of that’s just by accident.”

The Boone Theater in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine historic jazz district, May 2026; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News

A cup designed to give back

The partnership is also part of Harris’ broader vision for what can happen around 18th & Vine.

He said conversations about development in the district have happened for years, but he wanted House of Koffee to help create something tangible.

“The 18th and Vine area is a showpiece,” said Harris. “We’d be remiss not to add to it.”

The Sarah’s Blend project came together in less than 90 days, and Harris sees opportunities to expand the relationship with other organizations and nonprofits. House of Koffee is already exploring additional partnerships, including potential white-label coffee collaborations and eventually having a coffee kiosk in the district.

A permanent House of Koffee location is further down the road, he said. For now, the focus is on building the product, supporting community organizations and creating opportunities for nonprofits to use coffee as a fundraising tool.

Harris wants customers to remember the experience, and eventually ask where they can get the coffee again.

“I want somebody to say, ‘That’s really good coffee,’” he said. “Then they say, ‘Who’s that coffee again?’ And then they go looking for it.”

A role in the district’s next act

The Black Movie Hall of Fame partnership is expected to continue beyond the initial launch, with Sarah’s Blend becoming part of future events and programming, Harris said.

He’s especially interested in connecting the coffee to additional events at the Boone Theater, film festivals and other experiences around 18th & Vine.

For him, the excitement comes from creating something people can participate in, not simply watching from the sidelines.

“I’m a sports guy,” Harris said. “I get antsy sitting at home watching a game. I like being behind the scenes, pulling the levers and watching it happen.”

With Sarah’s Blend, he sees an opportunity to create a similar sense of anticipation around coffee, entrepreneurship, and community.

“I love the thrill of game day,” Harris said. “I’m trying to replicate that rush with products.”