Cultivar Opens Its First Solo Coffee Shop on a Trending Corner of Oak Cliff

On Monday, Cultivar Coffee opened the doors to its first stand-alone coffee shop on an Oak Cliff block that seems to be attracting a lot of talent.

At 313 Jefferson Blvd., in the same building that houses innovators like Small Brewpub and Carnival Barker's Ice Creams, Cultivar brings a wide open, relaxed vibe with light industrial touches. Their coffee and tea menus are complemented by local baked goods along with toast and sandwiches on Empire bread. 

Jonathan Meadows and Nathan Shelton launched Cultivar Coffee Roasters in 2009, opening their first coffee bar inside East Dallas' Good 2 Go Taco in 2011. In 2014 they hopped into another shared space, this one in Denton alongside Hypnotic Donuts, and this year they left their space in Good 2 Go Taco to open up shop across the street in Goodfriend Package. Trendy Cali baker SusieCakes announced last month that the bakery's new location in Preston Center would serve Cultivar coffee. Now, Cultivar stands on its own with a coffee bar that fits the vibe and growth of Jefferson Boulevard well. 
This is certainly an interesting corner of Oak Cliff. Spots like Small Brewpub and Top Ten Records are nestled among quinceañera dress shops and Mexican dollar stores, creating a unique atmosphere even for a city like Dallas. As businesses like Cultivar move in, it could create a clash of cultures — but so far, it all feels organic and friendly. Cultivar's vibe is hip enough to elevate the boulevard but understated enough to do so without whitewashing its identity. On its second day in business, the shop's feel was oh so neighborhood — young families greeted one another, toddlers snoozing in strollers at their feet. Everyone — young parents, tattooed guys on bikes, well dressed 30-somethings grabbing a coffee on the way to work — seemed to know each other. 

As locally owned coffee shops expand rapidly around DFW, hopping into new neighborhoods and giving caffeine-seekers a plethora of new options, the common thread among the most successful, beloved shops is a sense of place and community. After just two days open in Oak Cliff, Cultivar seems to have tapped into that feeling.
Cultivar Coffee, 313 W. Jefferson Blvd., 972-982-0719. Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.