ODEM, Texas — Since she was a child, Evalyn Peña of Odem noticed there was nowhere for people her age to hang out. In high school, Peña recalled driving with friends to nearby Sinton just to get fast food after a football game. Now, she's addressing that need with her own business: Small Town Brew.
“I realized there’s really nowhere to sit and just enjoy some peace,” Peña told KRIS 6 News. With a passion for coffee and for business, Peña got to work making her dream a reality.
“It’s stressful, but it was so fun decorating and creating something of my own,” Peña said. “Something with my personality, and a little bit of my parents’ personality too.”
Peña credits much of the behind-the-scenes work in preparing the business to her family.
“We wanted to cater to both the young and the older people, and that was the fun part. We were here every day decorating and putting new things in,” she said.
Peña’s family also served as her “guinea pigs” when it came to creating her menu.
Small Town Brew opened its doors on June 16, and Peña told KRIS 6 News the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
“They are very supportive. I’m just in shock at how many people like to sit here, be here,” Peña said. “I got so many compliments on just the atmosphere and how cozy it is, and I’m really glad because that’s what I really wanted to create while doing this.”
One customer told KRIS 6, “We (Odem) really needed this.” Another added, “It’s not just coffee, it’s other drinks too. It’s not the same old stuff you get at Stripes or something.”
When asked about future plans, Peña expressed interest in expanding to neighboring communities.
“Hopefully one day that could happen, we can branch off into other small towns,” she said. “Because I know all the small towns around here are kind of similar.”
“They don’t really have a lot, and I feel like that’s what a lot of small towns need. I hope to be a part of that.”
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