a warm welcome
A Neighborhood Café Providing a Global Point of View
Inspired by one of the world’s most beloved fruits and the cultures that celebrate it, 53Tacoma brings together thoughtfully sourced coffee, warm hospitality, and a space designed for connection. Every cup is an invitation to slow down, explore, and experience the world — right here.
Your Journey Begins Here.
Our menu draws inspiration from cafés around the world. From neighborhood faves to quiet corners worth traveling for.
JOIN US
The Taster’s Passport
The Taster’s Passport is your invitation to explore coffee beyond the cup.
Members receive early access to featured beans, members-only tastings, stories from our founders, and a curated journey through cafés that inspire us around the world.
Every cup is prepared with care, honoring both the origin of the bean and the moment it’s enjoyed.
Explore Flavors. Explore the World
Familiar favorites alongside rotating flavors
influenced by cafés, cultures, and cities across the globe.
A modern coffee space shaped by warm materials, natural light, and room to linger.
A work in progress, our space will reflect the same philosophy as our menu: modern, warm, and rooted in global influences. Natural materials, thoughtful details, and a welcoming atmosphere come together to create a place you’ll want to return to.
Founded on Service, Built for Community
Val and Mike
OUR FOUNDERS
The name 53TACOMA comes from a small mountain home in North Carolina—a place where winter winds pressed hard against the walls, but inside there was always space for warmth. It was a lively house filled with siblings, nieces, and nephews, anchored by a mother whose love wrapped around everyone who walked through the door. At the heart of it all was Valerie’s great-grandmother, whose wisdom, faith, and quiet strength shaped generations. From her, Valerie learned that comfort isn’t something you find—it’s something you create and share.
Valerie and Michael’s story began in 1983, when they met as young service members in the United States military. What started as a simple connection quickly grew into a lifelong partnership grounded in love, commitment, and shared values. They married in 1985 and built a close-knit family with three wonderful children, carrying that sense of home with them wherever life took them.
As Michael continued a distinguished thirty-year military career, their family traveled the world, living in places rich with culture, history, and unforgettable coffee. From quiet neighborhood cafés to vibrant city corners, they discovered how deeply coffee is woven into daily life around the globe. Each cup told a story, each place offered a new perspective—and slowly, a dream began to take shape.
During rare, treasured vacations—moments when the pace slowed enough to imagine what might come next—they talked about those coffees, those places, and the feeling of connection they brought. They dreamed of creating a space that extended their love for travel and family into something others could experience, a welcoming place where stories, flavors, and people could come together.
53TACOMA is the result of that dream. It’s a tribute to where their warmth began, and to a life spent exploring the world side by side. Every cup reflects Valerie and Michael’s journey, an invitation to slow down, gather, and explore the world through coffee.