Mission is about to get a serious caffeine upgrade. Moka & Co., the Yemeni-style café brand, is set to open a new location this fall in the former Pepperjax Grill space at 5922 Barkley Street, complete with a drive-thru. The shop aims to blend traditional slow-sipping coffee culture with a quick, car-friendly lane, adding to the wave of Yemeni and Arabic coffee spots that have been popping up across Johnson County this year.
Co-owners Tawfiq Habashi and Ahmad Aly told The Kansas City Star they chose Moka & Co. because the brand "connects heritage to modernism." According to the Star, the Mission location is targeting a fall opening and plans to operate roughly 6 a.m.–10 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m.–11 p.m. on weekends.
What To Expect At The Mission Shop
Per The Kansas City Star, the chain lists a "coming soon" Kansas City location and a menu that marries Arabic specialties with modern lattes. Expect Spanish and pistachio lattes alongside traditional maleki and iced mufawar. The company notes it operates more than two dozen stores across states including Michigan, Ohio, New York and Arizona, a footprint the Mission partners said they wanted to bring to Johnson County. Owners say the drive-thru is meant to support both the slower, ceremonial Yemeni service and a grab-and-go option for people racing the clock.
Where It Fits In Johnson County
The Mission shop will join a small but quickly growing cluster of Arabic coffee spots in Johnson County. Mocha Point opened in February at 8641 W. 135th St., Turath debuted at 9916 College Blvd. in March, and R. Qahwah followed in late June at 7317 W. 95th St. Mocha Point's late-night, community-focused model was covered by KCUR, while recent openings across the metro have been tracked by The Kansas City Star.
Why The Boom Is Happening
The Associated Press recently reported that the number of cafes run by six major Yemeni-style chains climbed about 50% last year, part of a national surge in spice-forward, late-hour coffeehouses that double as alcohol-free "third places." Local owners say that kind of industry momentum makes Johnson County fertile ground for concepts built around shared plates, pastries and long evening hours. The Associated Press coverage suggests the trend is both cultural and commercial.
No firm opening date has been announced, and permit and build-out timelines have not been disclosed; more details may follow as the space is renovated. For now, the plan is to bring another late-night option to Johnson County's steadily expanding coffee scene.
