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While looking into local coffee cart caterers for their wedding, Ashley and Jenner Brown floated the idea of starting their own — and they did just that. The two are now taking 2024 bookings.
Arbor Coffee Co.’s grand opening was in October 2023 at the Browns’ home in College Station. One of their first events was on Nov. 11, 2023, at Sonshine School’s Annual Holiday Market at A&M Church of Christ.
Arbor’s priority customers are Bryan/College Station residents, but they said they’re willing to travel to Houston, Austin or Dallas depending on the event. As a mobile business, they have more freedom with picking up clients and finding time in their busy schedules to cater to other locations in Texas.
"I guess that is the beauty of being a mobile business," says Ashley, Texas A&M University Class of 2021.
The menu includes hot or iced espresso drinks with whole or oat milk, drip coffee, cold brew and hot cocoa. Arbor recently introduced peppermint syrup following their fall menu of pumpkin, maple bourbon, cinnamon dolce and vanilla bean. Flavors up for consideration for spring include lavender, honey and vanilla almond, but are not yet set. All are homemade by Jenner with water, sugar and extracts.
The mobile cart they built runs roughly three and a half feet tall. The cart setup includes a Nuova Simonelli Musica espresso machine and a Mazzer coffee grinder, and they use beans from local Bryan roaster Polite Coffee Roasters, Ashley says.
“Our main goal is to do things like weddings and catering events … where we’d have almost a customizable menu for the people that we’re working for,” Jenner says.
Arbor’s three different catering packages differ on the number of event hours, flavors provided, present and drinks offered. The options range from $600-$950, all including a complimentary tasting beforehand, and additional add-ons for drip coffee or event hours are available.
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Their biggest tip for other mobile businesses is to look into county regulations. Catering companies in Texas can require up to five different licenses, permits and regulations, according to the 2022 Texas Business Licenses & Permits Guide.
“We have found that this was the most difficult thing to figure out when we were getting established,” Jenner says. “Another tip is to find other individuals doing something similar and seek counsel from them when you are getting started.”
Coffee intrigued Jenner since he entered college, but Ashley proposed turning his curiosity into a revenue stream with her entrepreneurial spirit. The two are trying to focus on hospitality in their business — something they’re both passionate about — by trying to be as accessible as possible to customers, Ashley says.
“I’m learning just a ton about what [hospitality] looks like to do in a literal sense and in a relational sense,” Ashley says. “So, we want that to be what our household represents but also what Arbor represents — we just want to do whatever we can to help.”
They chose the name Arbor, which means tree in Latin, from the Bible passage in Psalms 1:3. The Browns met as summer counselors at Sky Ranch Christian Camps, and the two married in June of 2023.
“This is such a cool, tangible way to serve others and connect with people I don’t typically interact with on a daily basis,” Ashley says. “Everyone loves coffee; everyone can commune over it — that’s something that’s just easy to connect over.”
To contact Arbor Coffee Co. for a booking, email arborcoffeecompany@ gmail.com or call (832) 589-7179 or (972) 832-8257. Find them on Instagram @arborcoffee.co.
