Halisi Africa opened in September of 2019 as a boutique and added a Zanzibar Bar in 2020. Located at 1002 Commercial Drive in the Tallahassee Art District, the shop offers a relaxed “shop-and-sip” style for customers that includes clothes, food, and music. Co-owners Vanessa Byrd and Bryant Shaw wanted to encourage customers to experience authentic African customs.
The café and boutique is divided into two sections. The entrance opens to the boutique which features clothing, jewelry, books, and more related to African diaspora. The boutique area also has a few chairs and tables for those guests who want to lounge while they shop. The café offers limited seating for those customers who want to dine in.