THE
AGORA
COFFEEHAUS &
EVENT VENUE
Located in Historic Downtown Red Oak
Recent Updates
We’re a young business with a lot in motion — and we think you should know about it. Running a coffeehaus is a community affair.
The Agora is a place to slow down, connect, and enjoy fresh in-house roasted organic coffee made with clean, quality ingredients. Good coffee is the start. Community is the point.
Established in 2024
What is The Agora and what does it mean?
During Ancient Greek times, the agora was a market and a place for assembly.
The Agora in Red Oak, Iowa is designed to be a community hub; a place where people can gather, share conversation over coffees and teas, and/or find a cozy nook to read a book, get some work done, or study for personal advancement. The space is also available to rent for private events.
When are you open?
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM
As we continue fine tuning our operations, we will continue to expand upon our hours.
Where is The Agora located?
The Agora is located next door to the Red Oak Grand Theatre – just off “The Square” – in Historic Downtown Red Oak at 404 E Coolbaugh Street.
The Coffeehaus & Event Venue occupies a 5400 sq. ft. Classical Revival brick building built in 1901. The building historically was occupied by furniture stores up until 2014 when previous owners converted the main floor into an event venue and the upstairs was converted into an eclectic living space.
The front exterior of The Agora on its opening day for the coffeehaus; Saturday, November 29th, 2025. The warmth from the inside peers through the storefront windows on the cold Saturday morning. A light dusting of snow covered the community but didn’t stop people from stopping by for their first freshly roasted cup of coffee in The Agora.
What makes The Agora different?
We strive to craft high quality products, utilize and offer clean foods and ingredients, and provide a welcoming and comfortable sit-down experience for all to enjoy.
- We source organic specialty coffee beans and roast the beans on-site.
- We try the best we can to utilize clean and organic ingredients in our drinks.
- We offer gluten-free snacks and other options for those with sensitivities.
- We provide high-speed secure internet for those who want to get some work done.
- We have a strong rooted passion for this community and want to succeed.
What events can be hosted at The Agora?
The venue has been used for many common event types like graduation parties, celebration of life lunches, wedding receptions, bridal / baby showers, birthday parties, business meetings, and more.
Follow The Agora on Facebook for updates.
☯️ Duality. Yin and yang. Light and dark.
That’s the roasting theme this week. Let me elaborate and share some thoughts.
🇭🇳A few weeks ago we received a shipment of Honduras beans. It has been a struggle roasting this bean; it’s been coming out flat and unexciting. So, this week we’re exploring dark roast territory. Behind the bar we’re going to test this bean as a pour over, espresso shot, and as cold brew to see how it fairs. You may hear us talking about it this weekend.
🇪🇹 Per Anna’s request, we’re bringing back a light roast Ethiopian bean. This one is pretty exciting, and already smells amazing after the first roast. Here’s the flavor profile to look forward to: Strawberry, Star Fruit, Watermelon, Honey, Orange Blossom … extremely fruity! More so positioned as a pour over, but behind the bar we’re going test how it handles the espresso machine and the cold brew method.
🇵🇪We have completely sold out of our medium Peruvian inventory - which ended up being a great medium roast bean, especially for cold brew! We have a stock for our espresso machine, but need to quickly figure out the next candidate for shots. We still have decaf Peruvian beans which you can substitute in your lattes anytime.
🌍 The idea of “exploring the world through coffee” is neat, and really challenges us to improve our roasting skills, but as an operating business, consistency is key. Moving forward we will change our approach and establish our “house” blend that we use on a regular basis, and then explore new coffees in smaller batches here and there. It’s probably the way it should have been to begin with, but we needed to do some exploring to find our footing.
📣 We’d love to hear your feedback regarding the beans you’ve purchased from us. Did you like the previous light roast Ethiopian, or the more recent medium Peruvian more? Are you excited for a dark roast?
🐈 Lastly, enjoy this photo of our cat with an angry face while coffee roasting was in progress. 😆
7 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thankfully the plumbing issue was resolved easily. We’ll see you tomorrow! 🎉☕️
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Closed Friday.
Working through plumbing issues once again… sorry for the inconvenience.
3 CommentsComment on Facebook