Oak Cliff artists just got a new place to fuel up. Happening Café has quietly set up shop inside Dallas Art Supply at 623 Fort Worth Ave., giving shoppers a spot to sip espresso while they browse pro-grade paints, paper, and stationery. The small counter runs during the store’s regular retail hours and is designed to make the space feel more welcoming for both weekend hobbyists and working pros.
Store roots and hours
Dallas Art Supply serves as the retail arm of Oil & Cotton, the studio-and-classes operation founded by Shannon Driscoll and Kayli House. As listed on Oil & Cotton, the shop sits at 623 Fort Worth Ave. and operates Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. The Fort Worth Avenue Development Group’s 2024 annual report notes that the shop moved to the corridor in late 2024 and identifies it as a women-owned business.
Menu, machine and the vibe
According to CultureMap Dallas, Happening Café is tucked into a creative, women-owned art shop that operates out of a repurposed vintage gas station. Behind the small counter, the team pulls shots on a La Marzocco Linea Mini using beans from local roaster Full City Rooster. The menu sticks to the classics, with espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, teas, and matcha priced at roughly $2 to $6, plus a handful of grab-and-go snacks.
Co-owner Kayli House told the outlet that “we were inspired by the ’60s countercultural movement with stores playing with commerce as art,” adding, “Art supplies can be intimidating, coffee is not.” Owner Shannon Driscoll said the team hopes the café “can evolve the coffee shop to a truck trailer, eventually plant roots somewhere.” For now, it is a modest operation that lets customers mull over brush sizes with a latte in hand.
Part of a Fort Worth Avenue push
The new coffee counter lines up with a broader push to bring more pedestrian-focused retail and food options to Fort Worth Avenue, a corridor that has seen new cafes and shops open in recent years. The Fort Worth Avenue Development Group’s 2024 report highlights those recent openings and positions independents like Dallas Art Supply as part of efforts to attract foot traffic and boost neighborhood activity.
Practical details
Both Dallas Art Supply and Happening Café are open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. The shop also sells a digital “Happening Cafe” gift card, per Oil & Cotton. For now, the coffee bar appears to function as a low-key complement to art classes and shopping rather than a full-service café, an easy stop for a quick shot or a slow browse with a cup in hand.
