By Cashmere Morley
When Juana Mancera graduated from the University of Michigan in December 2025, she decided that if she was going to face the daily grind, she might as well be the one choosing the beans. Sick of working for other people, sick of climbing a corporate ladder, Mancera opened Kultura, a mobile coffee-music pop-up, or as she explained it, “coffee, culture, and speakers on wheels.” The hottest thing in town isn’t just the caffeine, it’s the electric blue cart and the heavy bass vibrating through the steam of your new favorite cuppa joe. Meet the coffee experience that’s treating the local caffeine scene less like a transaction and more like a pop-up party.
“Everything is in your calendar these days—very formal,” said Mancera. “We based Kultura on the idea of the third space, which is essentially gatherings that are unconventional, not necessarily planned out, natural and organic gatherings, wherever and whenever.”
Coffee, in this vision, is less a product than a pretext—a reason for people to come together. Music is the other essential ingredient.
That “wherever and whenever” is not rhetorical. Kultura is a mobile cart designed to appear in different spaces—festivals, plazas, sorority events, early-morning gatherings in other cities—each time reshaping itself to fit the environment.
Mancera came up with the idea of a mobile coffee pop-up on the street corners of France. While living in Paris, Mancera noticed a different rhythm to how people interacted with coffee.
“I would see every single corner of the city, people hanging out drinking coffee, and it wasn’t necessarily from a coffee shop... It was just an organic gathering. And that’s what I want to do—build a community around it.”
But Kultura is far from a Parisian bistro. This is a “listening room” on wheels. “I love music, and I love being able to carry my speaker around,” Mancera said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, wait. That’d be such a cool idea, to just be able to gather with friends, drink coffee, and listen to music.’”
If the name looks a little “weird,” that’s exactly the point. “Cultura means culture in Spanish, but culture is spelt with a c, obviously. And I wanted a little funky twist, because I love anything weird and funky, just playful like that name is,” said Mancera.
Ann Arbor is not short on coffee shops, and Mancera is quick to acknowledge that.
“I think Ann Arbor coffee is honestly amazing. I have a lot of go-to coffee shops that I am a huge fan of,” she said. But, she still saw room for something different.
“I think the unconventional aspect of Kultura, what sets us apart, is that typically you go and you drink coffee or you do work, and you leave, but it’s not necessarily a place where you can gather with friends…at least not from my experiences,” she said. “It’s just not necessarily normal to have an experience with your coffee. And I want everything that we do to be an experience with people, from music and playlist creation to the actual coffee and the drinks.”
The idea came to Mancera last year while slinging sweets at a local cupcake shop. Mancera realized her time was worth more than her paycheck.
“I was making little to almost nothing, and I wasn’t necessarily happy,” she said. “I just graduated in December, but I was still a student, and I didn’t like what I was doing. So I was like, ‘Wait, if I’m gonna make almost nothing, I might as well make almost nothing for myself.’ Kultura began last summer. I want to say the idea was formed in July, and we were booked and busy, I think, like the second weekend of August—something like that. So, it was a quick turnaround, for sure.”
With a background in economics and film, television, and media, Mancera didn’t set out to just build a coffee cart; she built an entire brand. “My econ background is definitely helping me build that financial model... the film, television and media is helping me tell the story,” said Mancera.
The idea had so much narrative weight that, “Even before it was a tangible thing, people were already excited about that idea,” said Mancera.
It’s anyone’s guess what will hit you first: the sound of Kultura’s electric blue cart spinning some tunes or the aroma of fresh coffee emanating from the pop-up.
“Our brand identity is pretty strong. We have the electric blue. So, I think that is something that just draws your eye to the product,” said Mancera. “Even the logo plays with duality: we have a little angel and a devil... there’s always two sides to things.”
This contrast defines the brand: coffee and music, high energy and deep chill. “They’re kind of like oxymorons. You can come here to have fun. But you can also drink coffee and chill,” Mancera said.
The pop-up coffee experience has more layers to it than just music and coffee. While the business currently sources beans from Michigan, the heart of the menu is inspired by the founder’s Mexican roots and her boyfriend Adrian’s, Puerto Rican family.
The star of the show, said Mancera—and what people constantly come back for—is Kultura’s horchata latte.
“I grew up drinking horchata for every single dinner. My mom would make it, then I worked in a Mexican restaurant, and I learned how to make it myself,” said Mancera. “At first, I wanted Kultura to be truly inspired by Hispanic roots. But there have been times where I have the horchata latte for sale at a pop-up, and it’s the least sold item... so I think [it’s about] trial and error and appealing to my market with something like a lavender latte depending on who is in the room.”
If you see the founder behind the cart, she’s likely, “reading the room.” It’s a skill she attributes to being “the eldest of three sisters” and a lover of techno. “I love electronic. I love techno. But I’m also very good at intuitive listening, reading between the lines, and seeing what the people want. If they want to talk and have an engaging conversation, then I’ll do so. But then, if I feel like they just want to get their drink, drink it in peace and chill, then I can also do that.”
Mancera notes being a popup can come with its challenges, but it’s all been worth it for her. She said, “Getting to events is kind of draining at first, depending on how far away they are, but then after the event, I feel like I’m glowing.”
The long-term vision is taking Kultura global. Think permanent brick-and-mortar shops in Mexico City and Puerto Rico.
“When that happens, we want to adapt to the culture wherever that is. If we open up in Paris, I want the shop to resemble French culture. But that idea is more of a bigger picture thing. Just understanding and being open to every culture wherever we’re at is the goal.”
For now, she’s happy building a space where people feel they belong. “Kultura doesn’t need to make me a millionaire. I just want to work for myself and expose people to my culture and other cultures, and I would be happy. The goal is to establish an organic presence in the coffee world.”
Discover Kultura online on their IG: @kulturaconnect. If you’re interested in a pop-up, email Mancera at getkultura@gmail.com.
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When Juana Mancera graduated from the University of Michigan in December 2025, she decided that if she was going to face the daily grind, she might as well be the one choosing the beans. Sick of working for other people, sick of climbing a corporate ladder, Mancera opened Kultura, a mobile coffee-music pop-up, or as she explained it, “coffee, culture, and speakers on wheels.” The hottest thing in town isn’t just the caffeine, it’s the electric blue cart and the heavy bass vibrating through the steam of your new favorite cuppa joe. Meet the coffee experience that’s treating the local caffeine scene less like a transaction and more like a pop-up party.