How do you like your coffee? Some like it bold, others sweet and smooth — but what if it was just... okay?
Enters Okay Coffee. Winston-Salem’s first chilled nitro coffee shop is located at 505 N. Cherry St. in downtown Winston-Salem. The vibe inside matches the personality of owner, Matthew James, who says he loves a good, silly joke.
“I thought it would be funny to have very high-quality coffee but downplay it,” James said. “When people have it, they will light up and say things like, ‘It’s better than okay! It’s great!’”
While coffee won’t be brewed on-site, customers can choose from a variety of hot and cold coffees and lattes, available starting at the end of August. But that’s not all.
“We will be serving coffee from kegs, infusing them with nitrogen to make the foamy, creamy texture similar to Guinness beer,” James said.
James said that way the coffee tastes more like a hot brewed coffee versus a cold brew. Okay Coffee is more than a coffee shop. It also highlights mental wellness.
“I personally have undergone a fair amount of therapy in my life. I wanted to highlight the many different meanings of “okay”.”
James said he plans to host specific round table discussions, working with local, certified therapists to guide mental health conversations around ageism, racism, grief, and similar topics. The goal? To foster compassion and understanding between each other.
Co-owner and wife of James, Karla, will curate a collection of goods highlighting women and minority-owned businesses. Goods will include artwork, candy, mugs, shirts, and syrups, which will be sold at the shop.
The shop will celebrate its grand opening Sunday, Aug. 17 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Native Root will serve breakfast until 11 a.m. Check out the menu here, plus lunch will be served by Keating provisions starting at 12 p.m.
In honor of August being National Wellness Month, treat yourself to “Okay” coffee, we know we will.
