If you are new to Bethany, Oklahoma, you may not have heard of Serve Coffee and Community before. Serve Coffee and Community, as the name might suggest, is a local Christian coffee shop that sells many different kinds of drinks, as well as a delicious assortment of baked goods. This week, I met with Kendra Cunkle, the manager at Serve Coffee, to talk more about why SNU students should consider giving Serve’s coffee a taste, as well as what its like to serve behind the scenes.
According to Cunkle, there is a lot that goes into maintaining Serve Coffee and Community. “I work as a barista, but also manage all the administrative tasks like ordering supplies, scheduling private events, booking worship nights, and more,” she explained.
Serve’s incredible proximity to SNU offers students not only an easy way to get coffee, but an easy way to support small Christian businesses.
“Our mission is to show Jesus’ love to our neighbors by cultivating community, encouraging creativity, and giving charitably while serving the best coffee in OKC,” says Cunkle.
Their coffee beans are from a local company too, meaning that by supporting Serve Coffee and Community students are also supporting other small Christian businesses.
“Our coffee is roasted by Grounds 4 Compassion, located a mile from us in Bethany. They are also a faith-based company, and they get their beans from several countries around the world.”
Serve Coffee and Community allows for a fantastic space for students, both because of the services they offer and the environment available to students there.
“We have a variety of single-origin coffees and blends ranging from light to dark roast,” says Cunkle. “We are conveniently located right across the street, have a lot of space, offer a student discount, and have a great study environment. Also I’m an alum, so I love the SNU community and am grateful for their support!”
Stephen Cashman, a barista for almost a year and a half, has loved working for Serve Coffee and Community. Some of the things he does for Serve include “dialing in espresso, making and serving iced or hot coffee and tea, serving bakery items and ice cream or sorbet, and creating a good experience for customers and maintaining cleanliness around the shop.”
Stephen loves coffee and has always been a fan of different beans. “I love the blend of both light and dark roasts. The fruitiness isn’t overbearing and it maintains its earthy notes,” says Cashman. His favorite drink would be “Cortado with oat milk and infused maple brown sugar espresso.”
Cashman, too, loves the support Serve Coffee and Community has been getting from its neighboring SNU community.
“I love seeing SNU students, I also love seeing faculty and alumni as well,” says Cashman.
If you’re ever looking for a good coffee shop near SNU, try out Serve Coffee and Community!
Photo by Mike Kenneally on Unsplash