The Tin Cup is a local mom and pop deli shop in Arlington, TX that uses the power of good food to build community. For the first time in the fifteen and a half years that The Tin Cup has been in business, they are hosting an after-hours event that is open to the public. The First Annual Christmas Spectacular on Saturday, December 15 from 7-10pm is an open mic that will feature local talent and desserts you wouldn’t find on their traditional menu.
Bradi and Damon Carney moved from California to the DFW in the early 2000s. The young family decided to call Arlington, TX home because it had the best schools for their children. Two years later in April of 2003 Bradi opened her dream coffee shop The Tin Cup.
The business transitioned from coffee shop to deli a few years later. They ditched the espresso machine for a panini press but continued to open up at 9am every morning to serve the regulars that would come in for coffee. Although they have since passed away, Bradi keeps a photo of the each of the two gentlemen that would come in every morning for a warm cup of coffee on the wall.
The Tin Cup is unique in the fact that you are served a smile with every order. The Carneys pride themselves on building a business that focuses on establishing relationships with customers.
The Tin Cup works to create that sense of family amongst its employees as well. Several of the menu items including the Black Gold and High Noon were creations that former employees loved to eat. Bradi creates a working environment that puts her employees first and is currently hiring. Most employees are high school and college students, so she works with their schedules. Several former employees still visit and offer to help when they have the time.
Pixie, the elf on the shelf, inside the restaurant has had a helping hand in planning the First Annual Christmas Spectacular as well as working on a new Christmas Day sandwich which will be on the menu for only one day. Bradi wants to remind customers that The Tin Cup is family and Pixie is one of the ways that she is doing it. Her goal is to create a restaurant where families feel welcome. Kids can play on the antique piano, pull on curtains, and be themselves without parents having to worry.
Ultimately, the Carneys want to create that sense of comfort for all of the customers who walk through their doors. Whether those are individuals, couples, or families expect Bradi or her husband to strike up a conversation and get to know them.
Bradi used to teach drama at the Pantego Christian Academy just down the street. With the popularity of open mic nights in Arlington, TX on the rise, a former student of hers convinced her to open The Tin Cup up to an after-hours event that featured local talent. Three employees will sing Saturday night, a former employee and her brother will play their clarinets, and a former student of Bradi’s who currently attends UTA will perform a magic show.
The event will also serve hot chocolate and sweet treats that you wouldn’t usually see on The Tin Cup menu. The sweet treats include an array of cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, and their class banana pudding. Check out their Facebook event here to RSVP.
Bradi believes this will be the first of many after-hours events for The Tin Cup. Her ultimate goal is to bring in the community and create good fellowship. Her love for Arlington, passion for building community, and great food are what makes The Tin Cup a local staple.
“This is our community and I love Arlington. The people of Arlington stand behind local businesses,” says Bradi.
