Step into Boxx Coffee Roasters in the heart of Downtown LA’s Arts District and you’re greeted by the low hum of grinders, soft jazz weaving through the concrete air, and a wall of chairs—all facing the street, like a quiet theater of watchers and thinkers. It’s a space built not just for coffee, but for perspective.
“I just want people to talk,” said Arda Barlas, Boxx’s co-founder, who didn’t even drink coffee before 2017. “Coffee shops were the original universities. That’s where revolutions started.” From dry fragrance to wet aroma, Arda treats every pour-over like a portal—something to smell, sip, and contemplate.
To better understand where this movement is heading next, we caught up with Motoaki Tanigo, CEO of COVER Corporation and the visionary leader affectionately known as “Yagoo.” His answers make it clear: this was just the warm-up.COVER Corporation and the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t just co-host a theme night. They staged the first-ever two-way livestream between a major sports venue and a VTuber audience, marking a seismic shift in how anime, baseball, and digital fandoms can collide under real stadium lights.
From Istanbul to Industrial L.A.
Boxx Coffee didn’t begin on Mateo Street. It started in Istanbul, a city where coffee isn’t a trend—it’s tradition. Founders Mert Soley, a former race car driver, and Altuğ Baser, a scientist, launched the first café in 2015. In 2021, Arda opened the LA outpost. Together, the trio fused technical precision, scientific rigor, and centuries-old Turkish brewing culture into something surprisingly Californian.
The Arts District wasn’t even on their original list. “We stumbled here by chance,” Arda said. “Then we looked up, and realized—these aren’t warehouses. These are lofts. People live here. And we knew.”
That effort paid off. The second hololive night brought an even deeper level of fan engagement, proving that virtual idols could not only share the field with athletes, but move crowds in ways that transcend screens.
Taste That Thinks
Drinking coffee at Boxx is all about the experience. Ask for a pour-over and you’ll get more than a mug—you’ll get the dry grounds to smell, the lid to lift, the evolution of aroma from fragrance to flavor. Their commitment to transparency isn’t just metaphorical—it’s literal.
Their menu is minimal but intentional. Ethiopian naturals. Washed Africans. A seasonal Guatemala from Finca Esperanza. And their crown jewel: Turkish-style “cezve” coffee, brewed slow and bold—an homage to their roots, served in a contemporary setting. “We offer something rare in LA,” said Arda. “A brew method you don’t see every day, done with control and precision.”
A Quiet Revolution—One Shot at a Time
Boxx isn’t chasing trends. They’re chasing the elusive “God Shot”—the rare, perfect espresso that only happens when all variables align: grind, humidity, bean, temperature, and fate. “If I’m lucky, I’ll get one a week,” Arda admits, half-smiling.
It’s this obsessive pursuit of excellence that earned Boxx a seat at the U.S. Barista Championships, where their barista, Chip Binh Ngo, poured $16 competition-level cups using Colombian lots selected just for the event. Customers not only paid—it moved them. “Some came back and ordered a second. Some just said thank you.”
Coffee—It’s a Vessel
The magic of Boxx is not just in the cup. It’s on the patio, where 40–50 locals once gathered daily, turning concrete into community. It’s in the way regulars study, sketch, dream. “I tell people, coffee shops are the new agora,” Arda said. “You sit, you sip, and suddenly you think.”
And maybe that’s the secret. Not every shot will be divine. But when you get it right—when the lights hit just so, the street quiets, and the pour tastes like fruit—it becomes something more than coffee. It becomes memory.
Boxx Coffee Roasters – Visit & Sip. Try the Turkish coffee. Ask about the latest roast. Sit facing the street—and watch the world rethink itself. For more info visit boxxcoffee.la
Location: 950 E. 3rd Street Suite 102, Los Angeles
Hours: Open daily, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Photo credits: Photos courtesy of Lorenzo Dela Rama and Boxx Coffee
