She never set out to build one of Pretoria’s most talked about coffee shops. Odette Palm simply followed a quiet conviction through one of the hardest seasons of her life, creating a place where kindness, connection and hope are always on the menu.
Sometimes, you meet someone whose story quietly stays with you.
Not because they’ve climbed Mount Everest or found a cure for Monday mornings. But because they remind you that extraordinary strength often looks remarkably ordinary. It is found in people who simply keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when life asks more of them than seems fair.
Meeting Odette Palm is one of those moments. At first glance, she’s the owner of Psalm, a lovely, intimate coffee shop in Montana that has captured the hearts of visitors from all across Gauteng. Scroll through social media, and you’ll find countless comments from people wishing there was a Psalm in their own town.
But spend a little time with Odette and you quickly realise the coffee shop is only part of the story. The real story is the heart behind it.
It’s difficult to imagine now, but owning a coffee shop was never part of Odette’s plan. “People are often surprised to hear that,” she smiles. “Psalm was never part of some grand business strategy. It started as a dream God placed in my heart during one of the most difficult seasons of my life.”
There wasn’t a dramatic lightbulb moment or a perfectly mapped out business plan. Instead, it was a quiet conviction that simply refused to go away. “The more I prayed, the stronger it became. Eventually I realised that obedience was more important than having all the answers.”
Even the name carries a deeply personal meaning. For Odette, Psalm isn’t simply a reference to one of the Bible’s most loved books, where joy, grief, hope and gratitude all sit comfortably alongside one another. It also quietly reflects her own story. Her surname, Palm, reminds her of the palm tree, a symbol of resilience and endurance. A palm tree bends through fierce storms, yet rarely breaks.
“I wanted Psalm to feel less like a coffee shop and more like a place where people could pause. Life moves so quickly. My hope was to create a space where people could slow down, breathe and leave feeling lighter than when they arrived.”
“There were moments when I felt bent by circumstances, but God sustained me.”
It’s a simple image, yet one that quietly captures both the woman and the place she has created. That dream would eventually become Psalm, but not before life threw her a challenge she never saw coming.
A cancer diagnosis has a way of changing everything. “Suddenly, life becomes very real. Things that once seemed important no longer matter nearly as much.” The months that followed were filled with uncertainty, difficult treatments and questions no one ever wants to ask. Yet, remarkably, they were also the months during which Psalm slowly started taking shape. While fighting for her own health, she was helping build a place that would one day become a source of hope for so many others.
The more Odette shares, the clearer it becomes that Psalm wasn’t built despite one of life’s hardest seasons. In many ways, it was built because of it. She is the first to point out that she didn’t do it alone. Family, friends and an entire community rallied around the dream. Her husband, Jacques, became an unwavering source of strength, while countless others stepped in wherever they could. “It really took a village.”
Looking back today, Odette says cancer changed far more than her health. “It taught me to stop postponing joy. We spend so much time planning for tomorrow that we sometimes forget the gift of today.”
Perhaps that’s why Psalm feels different. Yes, the coffee is excellent. Yes, the décor is unique. But underneath the carefully chosen details is something far more personal. Every corner tells part of a bigger story. Ask Odette about the décor and her face lights up. “Soft fabric drapes across the ceiling. A wall filled with clay jars catches your eye. A striking tree installation stands as a reminder that even difficult seasons have purpose, while the prayer wall quietly invites visitors to leave behind worries, gratitude or words of hope.”
Nothing is there by accident. “I wanted Psalm to feel less like a coffee shop and more like a place where people could pause. Life moves so quickly. My hope was to create a space where people could slow down, breathe and leave feeling lighter than when they arrived.”
Whether visitors recognise every symbol or simply appreciate the peaceful atmosphere doesn’t really matter. What matters is how they feel. “I hope people feel seen. Before they notice the coffee or the décor, I hope they experience peace. Whether someone is celebrating the happiest day of their life or walking through heartbreak, I want them to know they’re welcome.”
Ask Odette what makes her smile most these days and, once again, she doesn’t mention the beautiful interiors or the queues at the door. “It’s the people. Watching complete strangers start conversations. Seeing someone quietly writing on the prayer wall. Hearing stories from people who arrived feeling discouraged and left with hope. Those moments remind me that Psalm was never really about coffee. It was always about people.”
Some visitors have even shared how a Bible verse printed on their coffee cup found them at exactly the right moment, offering encouragement when they needed it most. Coincidence? Perhaps. Comfort? Without a doubt. That focus on people extends far beyond the coffee shop.
Away from work, her greatest joy is spending time with hubby, their daughter, Hailey, and their dogs. Ask her what a perfect day looks like and the answer couldn’t be simpler. “A slow morning with coffee, time spent with God, seeing Psalm filled with people connecting and finding encouragement, then ending the day with my family. Nothing extravagant. Just the people I love, peace in my heart and knowing God is at the centre of it all.”
It is that simplicity that makes Odette so easy to connect with. Despite everything she has overcome, there isn’t a trace of self-importance. Success, she says, looks very different to what it once did. “Today, success means loving people well, being present for my family and knowing that what I’m building is making a difference. If lives are being touched and people are finding hope, then I consider that success.”
Perhaps that is why Psalm has resonated with so many people. “I think people are longing for authenticity. We live in a world that often feels rushed and disconnected. People want places where they feel seen, valued and loved.”
What would Odette say to someone currently walking through one of life’s hardest seasons? “The chapter you’re in right now is not the end of your story. There may be days when you can’t see the way forward, but keep taking the next step. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learnt is that God often does His deepest work in the seasons we would never choose for ourselves.”
It’s impossible to leave Psalm without noticing the thoughtful décor, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee or the gentle hum of conversation. But the thing that stays with you most isn’t something you can photograph. It’s the quiet reminder, inspired by the woman who built it, that even life’s most difficult chapters can become the beginning of something unexpectedly beautiful.
Or, as Odette reminds us, perhaps we should all stop postponing joy.
Follow @psalm_coffee_community on Insta or @psalmcoffeeshop on Facebook or pop in for a cuppa at unit 2, Breed street, Montana Park.
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. Image: HARVESTING PHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHY.
