A cup of coffee might be what brings someone through the doors of Bru, but the business hopes customers leave with more than just a drink.
Located in a historic downtown Waco building, Bru combines specialty coffee with an openly Christian atmosphere, making its approach to hospitality one of the things that sets it apart from other coffee shops in the area.
“The presence of God,” said Colten Coe, Bru's front-of-house manager. “Like that's the one thing.”
Coe said the business is unapologetically Christian but does not expect everyone who walks through its doors to share those beliefs. Instead, he said, the goal is to demonstrate the love of Jesus through everyday interactions, whether employees are making drinks, talking with customers or simply cleaning the shop.
“We're going to share the love of Jesus and embody the gospel of Jesus, no matter what we're doing,” Coe said. “We're going to embody the love of Jesus.”
That approach is not limited to customers who identify as Christians. Coe said being a believer is not a requirement for employment, even though many members of the staff share the owners’ faith.
“It's not a deal breaker for us,” Coe said. “I just love people.”
For Coe, some of the most meaningful moments at Bru have come from conversations with customers. He recalled meeting a young man who came into the shop and began talking about struggles in his personal life, including returning to drinking after a period of sobriety.
Coe said he had recently felt prompted by God to fast for three days. When the customer told him he had been drinking for the same amount of time, Coe said he felt there was a reason their paths had crossed.
He asked the customer if he wanted to surrender his life to Jesus and pray to be born again. The customer agreed, and the two prayed together at the counter.
“He sits down and starts to eat his food and he gets overwhelmed with the presence of God,” Coe said. “He's like, ‘I feel the spirit of the Lord.’”
Coe said the two have remained in contact since that interaction, and the customer has become one of his close friends.
While faith is central to the business's identity, Bru also has its own approach to coffee. The shop roasts its beans in-house over an open flame, using single-origin coffee imported from Nicaragua.
The shop also makes its syrups in-house, including those used in seasonal drinks like the Golden Hour, which combines white chocolate, maple and brown sugar with cold foam and can be made with either espresso or matcha and topped with a gold dust.
Bru's customer base includes Baylor students, business professionals and people simply looking for a good cup of coffee. Coe said the shop has also developed a group of regular customers who staff members recognize by name.
“We actually do have quite a few regulars that we know on a first-name basis,” Coe said. “It's really special. They've been so faithful.”
The building itself also contributes to the atmosphere Bru hopes to create. Constructed in 1923, the space originally housed the Stratton Furniture Company and served as its display room. Some of the building's original features remain, including its longleaf pine floors.
The current location opened about two years ago after the business operated about a block away near what is now Fox & Co. The space also serves as an events venue, with Coe saying the building has hosted approximately 2,000 events over the past two years.
Although Coe has only been working at Bru for about a month, he said the opportunity to be part of the business has already been meaningful.
“I really feel like the Lord handpicked me up and then just set me down here,” Coe said. “And it's just been super awesome, really special getting to steward this space.”
☕ Before You Go
📍 Find them: 800 Austin Ave., Waco, TX 76701, inside the STORIES building in downtown Waco.
⏰ Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Hours may vary for private events.)
☕ What to order: Try the Golden Hour, a seasonal specialty with white chocolate, maple and brown sugar, finished with cold foam and gold dust. You can get it with espresso or matcha.
🥐 Something to eat: Pair your drink with one of Bru's house-made cookies, muffins or scones.