Local entrepreneur opens Brew Crew coffee shop

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- For a first-ever business idea and enterprise, Woodlands’ resident Brittany Swope, 22 years of age, has stumbled onto a unique setting with Brew Crew, a drive-up coffee experience just in time for moms delivering kids back to school and local residents burning rubber in the morning rush to get to work each day.

“My partner Scott and I were brainstorming one day and came up with the idea,” Swope said. “I just took the idea and ran with it because I knew we could deliver a better coffee, with more convenience and at market prices.”

That is exactly what Swope did in running with the idea that she and Woodlands’ partner Scott Mt. Joy, along with Kira Heinze, also a Woodlands’ resident, thought of. Brew Crew offers as fresh as one can get coffee with coffee beans literally straight from the Port of Houston and ground fresh each day.

“We feel we have the Starbucks alternative,” Mt. Joy said, who is an oil trader and Swope’s partner in Brew Crew. “You drive right up, order your favorite concoction of coffee or tea with convenience and with the assurance you are getting the freshest coffee around.”

Swope said that even though Brew Crew has been open only a few weeks, she is already seeing regulars with their own designer brand of coffee.

“Everyone has their favorite flavorings and I love making unique coffees for my customers,” Swope said. “Seeing my regulars is gratifying and every day I see the business building which is really exciting.”

So far favorites range from a caramel frapp to a café mocha to a cherry mocha latte to, Brittany’s favorite, a Chai latte tea which is served hot like coffee. Brew Crew also offers fresh squeezed orange juice made fresh each morning along with an assortment of muffins and cookies.

“I love the variety of coffee they serve and the prompt friendly service,” Jessica Erwin said, a Brew Crew customer. “Plus I want to support Brittany in her business. The building is really cute and the idea is unique. I want to see her succeed.”

Swope, who was burned out as a waitress, wanted to do something different with her life yet loved interacting with customers.

“I’m a people person and I love what I do,” Swope said. “And it looks like we are doing something right because business is good and customers are coming back to us. I’m loving it.”

Brew Crew is located in Spring at 1810 Rayford Road next to the Milstead Automotive vertical sign. Hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 6-11 a.m.; Friday 6 a.m.- 2 p.m.; and Saturday 7 a.m. to noon.