Culture Coffee
From popular cereal milk lattes to robust pour over options, Culture Coffee is one of the newer destinations in OKC’s east side. Located in the Page Woodson Apartment Community on 6th and Stonewall, this welcomed addition was started by Tori Beechum and her parents, Donny and Tonya Beechum, making it both a Black-owned and veteran-owned business. The family also owns a well-established Southern comfort food restaurant, Bistro 46, that will be reopening near Culture Coffee.
After enjoying the food and atmosphere of Bistro 46, a local developer approached them about opening a shop. “We drove over one day, looked at the place and we were like, oh my gosh, we didn’t know all this was happening. So, we figured since it was a growing area...close to OU Medical Center and all the other hospital facilities, plus it’s close to downtown,” says Tori Beechum. “We just figured, man, the space is great and it’s really a place where we could... diversify our knowledge.”
Beechum made a plan and collected the required elements. She connected with Steve Willingham, owner of Clarity Coffee, who used his barista skills to help the Beechums build an experienced background in coffee. Ultimately, they selected local KLLR Coffee Roasters to provide a variety of beans for the shop.
The Beechum team is in the process of collaborating with Prelude Coffee to create their own, custom roasts. “Stardust” will be the first of seven blends and owes its name to the Charlie Christian song. Christian, an early jazz guitarist who grew up in East Oklahoma City, paved the way for the modern electric guitar sound and became a major icon in the history of jazz guitar. He’s also represented in a mural on the side of Culture Coffee that serves as an inspiration to the neighborhood.
“Since this area is traditionally and predominantly a Black neighborhood, we wanted to help keep the history of this area and maybe help other people learn more about who people are,” says Beechum. “And it helps tie the new coffee shop in with the history of the area.”
The family offers a lot of variety at Culture Coffee, and both their attention to detail and commitment to high-quality, local products shows in those offerings. They have a selection of teas from Urban Teahouse, a salad bar with local greens, and wraps made in-house. Popular pastries from Quincy’s Bakeshop are stocked, and options from Loaded Bowl are available for vegan customers.
> Culture Coffee: 1029 NE 6th St, Oklahoma City, (405) 724-7243; culturecoffeeokc.square.site
