Art of Coffee has invested in the Clear Lake area since its inception in July 2015, co-owner Cheyenne Minak said.

“The community is extremely important to us here. We love the one-on-one [aspect],” Minak said. “A lot of people want us to open a drive-thru location and we say no because we love being personable. We love our regulars. Community is what makes a coffee shop.”

Staying local

Minak said all of the wall space at Art of Coffee is populated by rotating local artworks, from paintings to pottery.

“And when I say local, I mean from Clear Lake to the Texas City, La Marque borderline. We don't do any artists outside of this area,” she said.
The coffee shop exclusively promotes local artists from the Clear Lake area to the Kemah and Le Marque borderline, said co-owner Cheyenne Minak. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
The coffee shop exclusively promotes local artists from the Clear Lake area to the Kemah and Le Marque borderline, co-owner Cheyenne Minak said. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
The Clear Lake location, which is visited more by NASA staff and University of Houston-Clear Lake students, has a free community library and is more fast-paced.


Meanwhile, the Kemah shop caters to the beachy, sailboat community, has a more relaxed atmosphere and offers made-to-order breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, Minak said.
The Clear Lake location caters to area students and NASA staff, while the Kemah location is mostly populated by tourists and the local sailboat community. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
The Clear Lake location caters to area students and NASA staff, while the Kemah location is mostly populated by tourists and the local sailboat community. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
A family affair

The family-owned coffee house and art shop has two sites—its flagship location near Kemah Boardwalk and the Clear Lake shop that opened in January 2018, Minak said. Their La Marque location opened in early 2020 but did not survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her father, Bill Minak, opened the Kemah Art of Coffee at the suggestion of customers who frequented his and his partner, Jimmy Sims’, floral shop, Kemah Flowers and Company. Bill Minak and Sims kept an extensive coffee bar and also sold paintings exclusively from local artists alongside home decor, she said.
Cheyenne Minak, her dad Bill Minak, and his partner Jimmy Sims co-own both Art of Coffee locations and Kemah Flowers and Company. Cheyenne Minak said she takes pride in her family-owned business. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Cheyenne Minak, her dad Bill Minak, and his partner Jimmy Sims co-own both Art of Coffee locations and Kemah Flowers and Company. Cheyenne Minak said she takes pride in her family-owned business. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
“That's how we came up with ‘Art of Coffee,’” Cheyenne Minak said. “All the art in the flower shop moved over to the coffee shop. ... And in 2015, let's remember there wasn't a coffee shop at every block. We literally started from the bottom.”

On the menu


Minak said her favorite specialty drink is the “Cocomo,” an iced-only coconut and caramel shaken espresso topped with half-and-half. The drink was created by a barista named Emily and replaced another menu item due to its popularity among customers.
Art of Coffee sells pastries, such as cinnamon rolls, croissants and danishes. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Art of Coffee sells pastries, such as cinnamon rolls, croissants and danishes. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Other artisan drinks include the “Rosa Chai,” a rose tea with Chai tea added, as well as the Honey Lavender coffee—for which Minak said Art of Coffee became known in its early days.

The coffee shop also sells bakery items, such as danishes, cinnamon rolls and cakes, as well as breakfast sandwiches, bagels and croissants.