The Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House was part of the Hennessy-McHale block in the historical Smith Hill district of Providence, Rhode Island. The three-and-a-half-story brick structure has a ground floor storefront. All facade windows are crowned with keystone hoodmolds. John B. Hennessey, a grocer, rented this building to the Thomas P. McHale Family. They operated a grocery store on the first floor and lived upstairs between 1874 and 1926; the McHales bought the building in 1892. In the mid-1900s it became the home of the Armenian American Civic Club.

The name Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House is inspired by Anthony Demings' artwork, focusing on one tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, built in 1883 (Cohen, C-01). In this painting, he uses the color purple, which is one of his favorite colors. Demings is mostly known for his artwork at Johnson and Wales University and other images throughout the country. His use of color gives his artwork life (Cohen, C-01). He only draws things that have an aura. Currently, the Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House shows his artwork and other local artists for all to view.