BRÜ Creative Coffee House

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
BRÜ was born from the idea that a café can be much more than just beverages: it’s a place where quality coffee meets creativity and productivity. From the very beginning, the mission has been to create a Creative Coffee House, a space that can be called a “creative hotspot,” where you can come for coffee, work, get inspired, and take part in artistic activities and workshops. Essentially, BRÜ emerged from the desire to create a space where two passions that bring people together and build community could coexist: art and coffee.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
As a team, we all agree that what we enjoy most about being at BRÜ is seeing the many ways each person chooses to be creative. Some people come to work, others to chat, and others to create. We love that every day is different thanks to the people who visit us. We’ve seen people come in with sewing machines —not just laptops, but even desktop computers— along with dogs, cats, to make collages, read books, and we’ve even seen people sculpting wax to create stamps from scratch. The best part is witnessing such diversity and getting a glimpse into each person’s inner world through their creativity.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
The overall vibe of the place, which invites both work and creativity, something you can feel in every detail of the space. But without a doubt, something you can’t miss is our bathroom. Don’t ask why, just come see it.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
In general, finding the balance between being a traditional café and a creative/collaborative space has been a challenge: creating a place that’s great for coffee, comfortable for working, and open to the creativity of those who visit us. That said, if we’re talking about what has truly made us question “what did we do?”, it’s been plumbing issues, floods, shelves falling, broken tables, and more. Part of the challenge —and the fun— of the project is that something happens every day, but every day we also meet new creatives. Having a business is definitely a box of surprises.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The philosophy that the best ideas emerge in spaces that combine calm, inspiration, and community is a constant guide. BRÜ aims to continue being a mix of café, creative studio, and meeting point for people with projects, from freelancers and entrepreneurs to artists in the making. The needs of today’s world are also a major reference. We increasingly need creative, diverse, and integral spaces where different parts of who we are as human beings can be explored and activated: the emotional, creative, professional, and social. The world today has a deep hunger for art as a universal language, a form of expression, and a form of therapy.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
The global concept of creative cafés and hybrid spaces (café + coworking + workshops) around the world continues to influence BRÜ. Projects that reimagine the café as a creative meeting place —not just a gastronomic one— serve as references for developing our own events and experiences. Our customers are also a huge source of inspiration. The regulars, first-timers, and even those who wandered in by chance. Every person who walks through BRÜ’s door contributes to shaping this space filled with magic, good coffee, and good energy.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Artists, coffee people, or any kind of creative, report yourselves! We’re very open to collaborations and believe everyone has something to contribute. Even if you think your talent or what you do has nothing to do with coffee, at BRÜ we’re sure we can create something together. That said, if we had to choose just one person for a collaboration, we’d love to do something with KARO. Go stalk her and thank us later.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
There are corners designed specifically to inspire creative moments, but something few people know is that we have a broken table. It arrived that way before we even opened. At first we were bummed, but there was no time or budget to replace it, so we decided to open with it, and it stayed, becoming part of BRÜ and telling its own small story. What was once an unfortunate event turned into a local joke within our community.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
A city: Austin, a place that blends art in a very authentic way and maintains a strong creative atmosphere.
A book: Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. A gem for creatives, full of tools to explore, create, and be authentic, exactly what our creative space invites you to do.
An album: “A Head Full of Dreams” by Coldplay, a record full of color, energy, possibility, hope, and inspiration.

Answers by Ale Rodriguez, Sofia Diaz and Manolo Rodriguez, founders of BRÜ Creative Coffee House.