One Place for All
KUBO Long Beach is a creative community space that offers spots for small businesses and organizations to set up shop. Though it focuses on providing opportunities for the Filipinx community, it is also open to other marginalized communities to share. With special events such as First Fridays and Merkados every third Saturday, there is always something happening in the establishment. Any creative venture can become part of KUBO’s community space and grow with the support it provides.
KUBO Storefront and Sign, courtesy of KUBO Long Beach.
The space is located at 3976 Atlantic Avenue and is currently open Thursdays to Sundays from 11 AM to 6 PM when not accounting for special events.
A few of the many businesses KUBO is currently associated with are listed below.
Plant Ma Shop
Having started as a passion project by Agatha Isabel in Brooklyn, New York, during the pandemic, Plant Ma Shop’s online store recently opened its first physical location in KUBO Long Beach. This location specializes in selling and highlighting tropical houseplants native to Southeast Asia such as hoyas and jasmine. They hope to use these plants to educate people on their origins and how to care for them properly. They also sell planters and other houseplant-related home goods such as handmade bookmarks, jewelry, biodegradable seed cards and a book written by Agatha herself. Houseplant Hookups: All The Dirt You Need to find the Perfect Match is a houseplant reference guide stylized like a dating app.
The business aims to create an inclusive community focused on all types of growth by using houseplants and the caring of plants to connect people back to nature and to promote their self-care. They hope to start with selling houseplants that are perfect for individuals’ lifestyles and home environment, as well as educating people through the hosting of workshops, like terrarium-building and Houseplant Care & Plant Community 101, and other events like plant swaps.
Plant Ma Shop’s section of the space, Photo by Buddy Casiles.
Bel Canto Books
Bel Canto Books is a woman and BIPOC-owned bookstore with locations in KUBO LB, Steel Cup Cafe and an upcoming stand-alone store on 4th Street. It sells a selection of books with a range of genres, but specifically highlights books written by authors of color. Such titles include Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors by Gail D. Villanueva, The Legendborn Cycle series by Tracy Deonn, and the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manansala.
With humble beginnings as a pop-up book club created by Jhoanna Belfer in 2018, Bel Canto Books wishes to foster joy, creativity and curiosity. They host events such as journaling workshops, storytime sessions for children, author events, book clubs and literary festivals.
A table featuring some of the goods Bel Canto Books sells, Photo by Buddy Casiles.
Pamana Kali
Kali is a Filipino martial art that embodies the spirit of the Filipino people, and every Monday and Wednesday at 5 PM lessons are offered for children ages 6 to 12. There, children can learn how to defend themself, gain confidence and immerse themselves in Filipino tradition and values with the help of experienced instructors.
Pamana Kali was started by Guru Alvin Catacutan in 2018, and KUBO serves as the school’s Long Beach location. It believes in fostering a community that can express Filipino identity with pride and honor, and wishes to spread the culture as much as they can to make Kali the next big martial art.
Children being taught kali during one of the lessons held at KUBO, Photo courtesy of @kali_long_beach on Instagram.
For more information about KUBO Long Beach and the other businesses currently associated with it, visit their website or their Instagram page @kubo.lb.