Annie and Dr. Morad El-Raheb opened 918 Coffee in a former Phillips 66 filling station along Route 66. Annie says keeping the 1928 building’s classic cottage as the entrance was a must when transforming the former auto service bays into the coffee shop. They found four tool boxes, restored them and use them in the coffee shop.
918 Coffee, 2446 E. 11th St. Local physician Dr. Morad El-Raheb has been a part of the Hillcrest Medical Center area for years, and he has a slight fixation on double espresso, according to his wife, Annie. “He drinks them all day long,” she says. So in 2012, when they realized another of the neighborhood staples, George Tune’s Auto Service, was for sale after nearly 50 years in business, they saw an opportunity to create a coffee shop in the heart of Route 66. “We knew it would be a challenge, but we wanted to keep the building going, and we really needed a coffee shop in this area,” Annie El-Raheb says. “We took it to the bare bones, but we worked within the building’s original footprint.” Annie says keeping the 1928 building’s classic cottage as the entrance and restroom area was a must. And Dr. El-Raheb, who also is a woodworker and owns Tulsa Wood Arts next door, used his skills to restore the original door (after scraping off dozens of layers of paint). He also created the wood tables and cabinets for the store. They transformed the garage area into a modern coffee shop but kept the past alive with décor, such as reclaimed glass, concrete floors and an art deco color scheme. “We found four original tool boxes here and had them restored,” Annie says. “We loved reusing things for the project.” While the native New Yorker never dreamed her family would be in the coffee business in Tulsa, the 1,790-square-foot building is the perfect fit for the neighborhood and for her family. “We have always been those people who love to see historic buildings given new life,” Annie says. “We think these places are treasures.” tþ 110
TulsaPeople JULY 2016