Amarillo’s Sixth Street gained a new heartbeat in 2007 when 806 Coffee Lounge opened its doors inside a dusty red-brick Route 66 storefront. The lounge quickly became a pillar of the city’s fresh coffee culture. Locals soon filled mismatched tables to chat, sketch, and plan while steam drifted from handcrafted lattes. In a world where coffee culture has transformed into global social hubs, 806 found its own vibrant niche within the community, highlighting the value of local shops in fostering connection and collaboration.
Over time it evolved into an informal community hub where students, musicians, and entrepreneurs mingled over espresso and vegetarian tacos. Eighteen years later, the scent of roasted beans still drifts onto Sixth Street, now paired with the buzz of an area that’s come alive around it.
When initially launched, the owners simply wanted good coffee and an open door. They soon launched an annual school supply drive with nearby San Jacinto Elementary, a tradition that’s now eighteen drives strong. Boxes of crayons, notebooks, and backpacks line the stage each August before volunteers carry them to classrooms.
Last month’s anniversary drive filled a small U-Haul van in four hours. Patrons say the event captures the shop’s spirit: caffeine mixed with kindness. silent auction items from local artists and businesses lined the walls throughout the weekend to raise extra funds for the school.
The lounge hosts Amarillo’s longest-running open mic, still held every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Guitars, spoken word, and the occasional ukulele replace country twang with indie, blues, and soul. Weekend sets run Thursday through Saturday, curated to keep volume neighbor-friendly. The Route 66 Historic District location means tourists and locals alike discover new talent over single-origin brews.
Initial Thursday evenings merge art openings with an all-night happy hour, drawing painters and photographers alongside regulars nursing single-origin pour-overs.
Specials rotate daily, showcasing the lounge’s commitment to innovative flavors and unique experiences. Happy hour knocks a dollar off any drink from 3-7 p.m. Saturday brunch pairs vegan migas with $5 off bottles of wine. Seasonal drinks like lavender honey lattes appear unannounced, scribbled on chalkboards beside hand-drawn cartoons.
Eighteen candles on an August cake marked this year’s milestone. The party featured silent auctions of framed local art, a raffle for a custom Stratocaster, and a 10 a.m. brunch that sold out tables in thirty minutes.
Proceeds funded 300 backpacks for San Jacinto Elementary and paid the entry fees for three teen bands to record their initial tracks. Visitors left clutching limited-edition anniversary T-shirts, each stamped with the shop’s original 2007 neon sign sketch.
