Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Allen.
Hi Amanda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was working as a bartender in a small town in WA state. I’ve worked in coffee off and on through my adult life, and on a recent visit to Texas noticed the lack of 1. Good quality coffee and 2. easy to drive thru coffee stands. Now this was a couple years ago and I will be the first to say Texas has stepped up its coffee game and I am thoroughly impressed. But it started me on a journey to explore more in-depth, of owning my own stand. I went to several roasters before settling on Texas Coffee Traders and Independence Coffee Company. My reps have worked tirelessly with me as I have turned down multiple styles of coffees, syrups, sauces, etc. I had a vision and I knew what I wanted, and I wanted exceptional coffee that reminded me of home, and showed Texans how wide the world of coffee truly is. We started our little mobile coffee trailer in Georgetown Texas and have just recently moved to Buda where we will open in the next couple of weeks alongside some killer food trucks, a WWII museum and put mini golf. This opportunity fell into our laps and we are off the rails excited to move forward on this new chapter of our journey in coffee.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh most definitely not! Trying to buy a house in the greater Austin area, while living 2000 miles away was not easy. We had 40 acres and a beautiful horse farm and I was burnt out and needed something new in my life. We sold everything, packed what we had left in my horse trailer and a flat bed, and in a three vehicle caravan drove down to our little home on one acre just outside of Ft. Hood Texas. At first we were going to be in Cedar Park, but technical difficulties at the location led us to South Fork Food Truck Park in Georgetown and that is where we first opened up. Williamson County was easier to get permits in, and less expensive. The City of Austin had all these offices you had to stop in, and some literally look like broom closets with no signage, and you just have to say a wing and a prayer to get through all the bureaucracy, I honestly gained some inside scoop to how diligent you must be, and how hard it is, and I am a native English speaker, I can’t imagine what non English speakers go through to get there food trucks started in the city of Austin, I tip my hat at their due diligence. Anyway a few kinks in the road, me in a rush not looking through all my contracts led me to some predatory loans, I maxed out all my credit cards, but we opened.
We spent $1000 on a new driveway for our new location and the county shut us down the first day. Septic Sprinklers, we’d never even heard of them before. So we had to move all the new rock over to another area of the property, relevel it, and then we reopened. Two weeks in, I had a cerebellar stroke. It was awful. I spent six weeks recovering and I absolutely could not stay home another day on the couch, so we reopened in December. It was a slow start, but in all honesty I am grateful, it took me months to build up my strength again, and every new task had me exhausted. Fast forward a few months later and they found the reason for my stroke was a hole in my heart, a heart procedure was scheduled for June. So by June I had regained most of my strength, but I’d still come home and sleep the better part of the afternoon after work, all my customers were great while I took some time off to recover. My ever supportive husband, whom has never worked in customer service or food service, stepped up to the plate, learned my recipes and did his best to fill my role while I recovered.
After kids went back to school we noticed a significant decline in sales, that hurt, a lot. So we decided to go mobile, we’d dealt with Covid in our first few months open, and I just had a feeling if we went to the masses they would come, and they did! So by October of 2020 we were fully mobile, essentially seven days a week if need be. We built a small following and really met some exceptional people. But travel gets tiresome, and with travel goes the knowing of about how much you’ll bring in per day. Some days $1500 in three hours, other days $46 for three hours, I mean really it was a guessing game that started to leave my husband and I on edge a bit. So when Buda came across our laps, we literally jumped at the chance to go. We realize the commute is far, but greater risk, greater reward in my book, and so for now we will make the commute and hopefully build a steady business so we can start paying down the start-up costs, and then move closer to the stand. Our first year has certainly been interesting, but we’ve learned a lot, and grown a lot, and I’m grateful for the journey.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Well I’ve worked in the food industry off and on most of my life, but what I am really passionate about is horses. I’ve run two large farms as an adult, worked in countless barns, and essentially breathed, slept, lived anything horses. I became a breeder back in 2003 and stood my own stallion, I’ve raised close to 80 babies, and have really loved my life as a farmer. We raised goats, show quality English Oprington chickens, sport horses, vegetables and I always have a large flower garden. I’m lucky, I married a man that lets me dream, and supports those dreams. So after we’d lived on our dream farm for three years, I came home and said, “Honey I want to move to Texas, and start a coffee stand,” he wasn’t the least bit surprised, and so that is exactly what we did. I have two of my horses living with me in Texas, and a few others dispersed amongst Oregon and Washington. We have four dogs and three cats that also live with us, it’s a bit of a mad house, but they make us happy, and that’s what matters most. My end goal is to make enough to get back into breeding horses, and raising show chickens and a few naughty goats would be welcome at our house anytime. It’s been a great life, full of adventure and I wouldn’t change a thing. Professional Horse Breeder/Instructor/Trainer, Breeder of Show quality English Orpington Chickens, Barista, Professional Chef with a degree in the culinary arts from Le Cordon Bleu Seattle.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Never give up! The Universe is going to send you some curve balls, it’s part of life, but envision yourself living your dream, and keep making steps forward towards that dream. You may make mistakes, but that’s part of living and growing, learn from those mistakes so you don’t repeat them, and do what you love! We only live this life once, make the best of it, and do what you love.
Contact Info:
- Email: burgundystarespresso@yahoo.com
- Website: www.burgundystarespresso.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/burgundystarespresso
- Facebook: facebook.com/burgundystarespresso
Image Credits
Amanda Allen of Burgundy Star Espresso
