🌿 A Kava Bar Just Opened in Olympia

 Bula Bar Brings Pacific Islander Kava Culture and a Non-Alcoholic "Third Space" to Olympia's Westside

Olympia's westside has a new gathering spot, and it's nothing like the usual coffee shop or bar.

Bula Bar, a new cafe on Olympia's westside, opened with a specific mission: to bring kava culture to the South Sound. Kava is a root traditionally steeped in tea and consumed in Pacific Islander communities for its mellow, euphoric effects — a non-alcoholic alternative that produces a similar relaxed buzz to a light drink without any of the alcohol.

🌿 What's Kava?

In Pacific Islander culture, a kava ceremony is a community ritual. Families and friends sit in a circle, drink kava, get euphoric and relaxed together, then share a meal. It's the social fabric without the hangover.

Bula Bar serves kava in three forms:

• Traditional — the classic preparation

• Soda form — for a fizzy, modern take

• Custom flavored — add various flavors to any drink

They also serve tea and coffee for anyone who'd rather stick to the familiar.

👤 About the Owner

Daniel Douglas grew up in Olympia (Capital High graduate). He spent years in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he discovered kava bars and met some of his closest friends there. The kava bar concept, a place to socialize without the pressure to drink alcohol, became something he wanted to bring home.

"When I moved back, I used to tell myself the two things Olympia needs are more sober spaces and more sunshine," Daniel told ThurstonTalk. "And I mean, you can't control the weather, so let's do this."

He's opening Bula Bar in a complex he has nostalgia for, given his Capital High roots, the westside location was a "no-brainer."

🌍 The "Third Space" Idea

The cafe is built around what sociologists call the third spac, neither home (first) nor work (second), but the in-between place where community actually happens. Coffee shops, libraries, neighborhood bars, barbershops. For a sober crowd or anyone tired of the bar scene, third spaces have been undervalued in most American cities.

Bula Bar is filling that gap on the westside, where Daniel notes there aren't many third spaces for people of all ages.

🕒 Hours & Location

Bula Bar
Olympia westside (verify exact address at bulabarcafe.com)
Open daily: 8 AM – 10 PM weekdays, later on weekends

📈 Why It Matters

The sober-curious movement is real and growing — and so is the need for community gathering spots that don't center alcohol. For Olympia (especially the westside, which has been underserved by third spaces compared to downtown), this is a meaningful addition. Whether you're sober, sober-curious, pregnant, in recovery, or just want a different kind of evening out — Bula Bar gives you another option.

📬 I'm Aaron Thomas, a local realtor sharing stories that connect us to the places we call home. Every Friday, we publish the South Sound Report, keeping you informed about what's happening in Tacoma, Olympia, DuPont, Puyallup, Lakewood, and the communities in between.

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