For my final post, I will discuss a building which truly consolidates the themes of those I have discussed previously- friendship, memory, planning for the future, and personal growth, all of which are augmented by the architecture and design of this place.

Cuppies and Joe opened in 2008 on 23rd Street in Oklahoma City, predating the area’s development branding as Uptown, despite its character blending perfectly with the businesses that have moved in more recently. Its quaint appellation refers to its eponymous products- cupcakes and coffee. The architecture of Cuppies is remarkable not by virtue of its innovation, its staggering beauty, or its fantastic materials. Rather, as one might notice, the building is essentially a residential house. The interior of the building, while of course containing a counter at which to order and numerous tables and chairs, is ultimately also resemblant of a home in layout. Hardwood floors, walls and doorways, a narrow hallway from the front of the space to the back, an integrated desk and wooden shelves in a secluded area near the front, all issue feelings of domesticity and comfort.

It is this “homey” feeling which, when coupled with my own unique experiences here, earns Cuppies and Joe a place within my series of posts. After my mother decided she and my brother and I should make use of a beautiful spring day to spend some time outside, we opted to try Cuppies. Ever since, it has been a regular hang-out spot for almost everyone with whom I spend any significant amount of time. When my friends return from distant lands (a.k.a. college out-of-state) we always go here at least once. Anyone who is foreign to Oklahoma City and wants to learn of its best features I direct to Cuppies. More than anything, I remember sitting at one of its very vintage wooden tables in the warm incandescent light of the space, at the end of what I might say constitutes the best day of my life so far. We had shown a French foreign exchange student around the city all day, taking him to places like Pops and the Plaza district, and after dinner we decided it was time for dessert. We sat around and watched as Édouard  tried his first ever cupcake, smiling over the salted caramel. And were this place another stark, minimalist, modern chic boutique, as is so common of newer developments, I think the architecture would have been a detriment to the occasion. But in that warm, domestic space, I remember feeling contented with the day I had just spent with my friends. That day is only a memory now, but every time I drive down 23rd I see that little house that serves coffee, and I know that if I ever want the chance to feel a tinge of what I felt that day, all I need to do is stop by for an iced chai.