MOTW Coffee brings global mission, personal story to Farmingdale

A new Farmingdale coffee shop born from a social media movement and global humanitarian effort opened its doors over the weekend, bringing with it a mission that goes well beyond coffee and pastries.

MOTW Coffee, short for Mission of the World, celebrated its grand opening Saturday at 623 Main St., becoming the growing brand’s second Long Island location.

The concept traces its roots to Muslims of the World, an Instagram page founded by Sajjad Shah to counter stereotypes by sharing individual stories from Muslim communities.

The platform grew to more than 700,000 followers and has helped raise millions of dollars for humanitarian causes around the world, including cataract surgeries and other medical care in Yemen and Ethiopia, according to the company’s website.

That mission eventually expanded into MOTW Coffee, envisioned as a physical gathering place centered around storytelling, culture and philanthropy.

The Farmingdale location is owned and operated by husband-and-wife Razi and Tahseen Hussaini. MOTW has expanded to locations in several states, including Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and recently opened a Queens location.

Its first Long Island shop is in Hicksville.

“The shop is a space where everyone is welcome, of all diverse communities, and where we can bridge cultural divides,” Razi said. “Anyone can come and have pleasant conversation over coffee, tea, pastries and dessert.”

But for the Hussainis, the Farmingdale shop carries a much deeper and more personal meaning.

In 2017, the couple lost their daughter, Hidayah Noor, when she was just 9 years old.

“We struggled a lot, and this has helped us cope,” Razi said.

Hidayah Noor, whose name means “guiding light,” is honored inside the cafe with a dedicated meditation room featuring plaques in her memory.

“We wanted to do something for her memory,” Razi said.

The timing of the grand opening was especially meaningful to the family. Hidayah would have turned 18 on Aug. 7, one day before the shop’s Aug. 8 grand opening.

The meditation room is open to anyone who visits the cafe.

“When you go in there, we hope everyone who enters this meditation space has a sense of tranquility and peace,” Razi said.

The idea to open the coffee shop initially came from Tahseen, who also took the lead on designing the Farmingdale space.

The couple, both coffee lovers, would visit coffee shops almost daily. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tahseen began floating the idea that they should open one of their own.

“Over the years she convinced me,” Razi said with a laugh.

The couple spent about two and a half years searching for the right location before the space at 623 Main St. became available.

MOTW Coffee serves a wide range of freshly prepared items, including croissants, muffins, baklava, fruit mousse, honeycomb bread and Razi’s personal favorite, empanadas.

“They’re the best, in my opinion,” he said.

MOTW Coffee is open seven days a week, initially operating on summer hours before expanding its schedule after Labor Day.

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Top: Husband-and-wife ownership team Razi and Tahseen Hussaini last week at their new Farmingdale MOTW Coffee location. (Credit: GLI/Julianne Mosher)