Café Alma Saved: Community Support Revives Jacky Fabiené’s Struggling Business

After financial difficulties and the threat of closure, Café Alma is on solid footing again for the time being – thanks to crowdfunding and the solidarity of the neighborhood. Owner Jacky Fabiené is relieved and has now organized a panel discussion on the state of Kiel’s restaurant industry.

How is Café Alma doing? Jacky Fabiené’s answer sounds extremely positive: the most pressing debts have been paid off, business is good, and she’s enjoying her work at Cafe Alma again. Fabiené couldn’t ask for more, having faced the closure of her café, which only opened in 2024, until recently. A combination of the effects of the restaurant crisis and disputes with health insurance companies and the tax office had led to the young restaurateur’s bank account being garnished. Without a rescue, this would have meant the end of Cafe Alma at the end of October.

In this situation, Jacky Fabiené decided to take an unusual step. She publicly appealed for financial support for Cafe Alma via the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe – and was successful. While the campaign didn’t quite reach its target of €20,000, it did raise an impressive €8,165 through 239 donations. Clearly, Alma is more than just a café for many people in Kiel .

Increased visitor numbers at Café Alma

This isn’t just receiving support on the donation platform: “Thanks to the campaign and the media coverage, many people have become aware of my situation. I’ve had more guests since then, and many of my existing guests are now coming twice as often as before.” Accordingly motivated, Jacky Fabiené is heading into the colder months. She’s planning cooking events and concerts and intends to save every penny. “Summer 2025 really took its toll on me. This time I’m preparing better,” she announces.

She is genuinely touched by the spontaneous offers of help from her immediate circle. “The owners of the house offered to defer the rent because they don’t want anyone else moving in. And my neighbor would have lent me money if the GoFundMe campaign hadn’t raised enough.” Although she has to pay taxes on the 8,165 euros, others affected by the restaurant crisis can only dream of such solidarity.

Cafe Alma’s owner,Jacky Fabiené, knows that other restaurateurs in Kiel are suffering from the same problems as she is. That’s why she’s now bringing the issue to the public’s attention. A panel discussion entitled “The Restaurant Industry is on the Brink” will take place on Tuesday, November 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (with a break) at the Evangelical Free Church in Kiel, Wilhelminenstraße 14. Participants include the mayoral candidates Ulf Daude (SPD), Gerrit Derkowski (CDU and FDP candidate), Samet Yilmaz (Greens), and Björn Thoroe (The Left).

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(Featured image by Anlendry Cobos via Unsplash)

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First published in Kieler Nachrichten. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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