The Excitement and Challenges of Launching Brew Crew: Riverside's First Drive-Thru Coffee Shop

Opening a new coffee shop is always a journey filled with anticipation and hard work. When that coffee shop is the first drive-thru in a small town like Riverside, WY, the stakes feel even higher. Brew Crew is not just another coffee spot; it represents a dream brought to life, a fresh convenience for the community, and a bold step into a new way of serving coffee in Riverside. This post explores the excitement behind Brew Crew’s launch, the challenges faced along the way, and the vision that fuels this unique venture.

Brew Crew's drive-thru exterior in Riverside, WY

Bringing Brew Crew to Riverside: A Dream Takes Shape

if you had told me years ago that we’d be opening a coffee shop, I might not have believed you. But that’s the beauty of marriage—sometimes your spouse has a dream so big and genuine that you can’t help but fall in love with it, too. Brew Crew is the result of years of my husband’s hard work and a vision we now share.

The heart of the business is the building itself. My husband moved the old Odd Fellows building here from Saratoga, saving a structure with deep roots and immense history. Bringing this beautiful building back to life for the community is an honor, and seeing this long-time dream finally come to life is everything.

Overcoming Challenges on the Road to Opening

Bringing Riverside’s first drive-thru coffee shop to life hasn't exactly been a walk in the park. One of our biggest hurdles has been navigating the strict regulations around drive-thrus—turns out, the rules for a drive-thru are a completely different beast than a regular walk-in business, especially when it comes to serving food.

Because we refuse to cut corners on our vision, nailing down the right distributors and a solid food supply has been a real puzzle to piece together. We want to make sure everything we hand through that window is perfect, so it’s going to take us a little extra time to get the food menu completely locked down. We just ask for a little bit of patience with us as we work out the kinks and bring this vision to life exactly the way it deserves!

What Makes Brew Crew Special for Riverside

What makes Brew Crew so special is who we get to serve. Riverside is full of busy locals, but it’s also a hub for travelers and people just passing through this beautiful town. Our drive-thru format is built for both—giving the morning commuter a quick start to their day and offering the road-tripper a quality pick-me-up without the hassle of unbuckling and parking.

When we open, our menu is going to look a little different than a standard corporate coffee shop. We are intentionally starting with a small, focused menu so our team can work out all the kinks and get our rhythm down. Once we’ve mastered the essentials, we can’t wait to introduce a full lineup alongside some really special, focused drinks.

We aren't trying to be a typical drive thru with, but we are looking forward to celebrating the seasons with this community. We’re already planning to host the second annual Summer Send-Off this September to bring everyone together and celebrate the town we love.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Brew Crew in Riverside

Opening Brew Crew is the start of a really exciting new chapter for us. We know we won’t be flawless on day one, which is why we’re going to rely heavily on your feedback during our first few weeks to help us tweak the menu and perfect our rhythm.

You won't hear us throwing around a bunch of corporate buzzwords about our vision. For us, it’s simple: we want to be known for a relentless standard of quality. From the beans we source to the cups we hand through the window, and everything in between, we want it to be excellent.

Being Riverside’s first drive-thru coffee shop is just the beginning. Our real goal is to build a solid, customer-focused business that grows naturally alongside this community and the people passing through it.