We recently connected with C Nichole and have shared our conversation below.

C, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The concept of Refuge came from my husband and I being in a city so full of people yet we still felt so isolated and disconnected from nearly everyone we knew!

When it came to connections, meetings, and building relationships, Nik (my husband) and I had missed out in a lot of ways. Neither of us really have family available to stay with our kiddos and meetings or get togethers typically meant that one of us had to miss out. As a homeschool mom and in the hustle and bustle of life, it can be really easy to get stuck in the fast passed routine of things and isolate ourselves. I truly believe that none of us are meant to do life alone. We need community and in seasons without community, it doesn’t take long to feel that isolation and disconnect. We felt like what was missing from our community was a family friendly neighborhood hang out that wasn’t just another coffee shop. A kid friendly place to slow down, and enjoy some great company over a cup of coffee or craft beer!

I knew this was a worthwhile endeavor because I knew others that had expressed the same realization of needing a family friendly environment to meet, work, or just catch up! We wanted to fill that void and ensure that people never felt they had to miss out because of lack of family friendly place to be. And with so much of the world transitioning to remote, we knew we needed to offer a change for those who work from home day in and day out.

When you step on to the grounds at Refuge, we want you to feel like this place is home. Around here, you’re family and we do our best to cultivate a great experience each visit offering options that nearly everyone loves like artisan coffee, craft beer, the best local wines, and plenty of options for the kids!

There are numerous places throughout the city that are ‘family friendly” but no coffee shops or beer gardens. Occasionally a business with say ‘family friendly’ but it really just means, “we’re not gonna turn your kids away”. There was such a need for a place like Refuge. There is just nothing like it. It is such a unique environment. Coffee, Beer, Family. We invite you to bring your family and come meet ours!

Something else that really sets us apart is our love for connecting with the community and small businesses. We’ll source everything as organic and locally as possible. Every brew tells a story, from the families that harvested the beans that go into your coffee to the beers that were crafted with a unique story behind each one!

What got us most excited about bringing the concept of Refuge to life was knowing all of the great things and relationships that would be cultivated out of it! Being able to reconnect with your spouse while the kids play safely, a beautiful change of scenery for those who had to transition to working from home, the memories that would be made, and getting to serve our community while we partner with those bringing best that Texas has to offer!
Refuge is for the go gos- the parents who need to make the drop off line and quick!

Its for the simple ‘good ‘ol cup o black’ drinkers.
Its for the work from homers and homeschooling families.
It’s for the Rachels, Chandlers, Phoebes, Ross’, and Monicas that want to hang out and catch up.
Refuge is for everyone! And we are so blessed to be able to offer it!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is C! I’m a wife, a counselor, owner of Refuge Coffee and Beer Garden and a homeschooling mom of 4 world changers!

I have a background in Psychology and Theology and have a heart for my connecting with my community to bring the best that Texas has to offer!

Refuge is being created because I saw there were so many others who felt what we felt was missing! People need a space to work, unwind, or finish a sentence with another adult in a family friendly setting without concern of missing out! Refuge will provide that space!

What I am most proud of is starting and growing a business as a family. We’re very much a family affair and are involving our kids in as much of the business aspect as we can! We feel it is important to include them in this project and are continuously amazed at all they are learning in the process! We’re proud to be a family business and proud to offer something that no one else does!

What I want most for our customers is to feel like Refuge is just that… a Refuge. A safe space to work, catch up with an old friend or make a new one!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Some of the books that I’ve used or think could be great for entrepreneurial thinking and management are~ Mindset: The New Psychology (Carol Dweck),
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future (Peter Thiel)
Daring Greatly (Brene’ Brown)
and the Bible!
I believe that what books etc. that we choose to consume greatly impact the way we do life and I want to be sure that what I’m consuming makes me an overall better business owner!

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

Refuge sits on 2.6 acres. Part of our master plan for it is to have “The Shops at Refuge”. This includes having 4 cabins on the property that are leased out to other local businesses (i.e a pastry shop, massage therapist etc.) This would not only generate supplementary revenue streams, but also brings attention to other local businesses that fall in line with what Refuge has to offer!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.refugecoffeeandbeer.com
• Instagram: refuge.satx
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Refuge.Satx