In a laundry mat off of West 35th Street and Guadalupe, washing machines cycle through, dryer buzzers go off and floral detergent scents waft through half the space. Meanwhile, in the other side of Spin Cycle Coin Laundry Mat, coffee grinders whir, baristas tamp espresso and community members gather.
BRB coffee, a family and locally owned shop, opened its doors to the community nearly a year ago. Brothers and UT Austin alumni, Yousef and Rony Shabo, developed the concept that led to BRB’s creation.The Shabo brothers had a background in architecture and were looking to develop a smart locker system to assist people doing laundry. They were familiar with the north campus laundry spot and spoke with its owner about implementing their system at the location. After much planning, trouble shooting and sharing of passions, what was supposed to be a technology based project, evolved into a space for people to get coffee and baked goods while doing their laundry.
“What helped it (BRB) get more attention was that we’re trying to create a third space for people,” Yousef said. “So, we started posting local artists’ art on the community board.”
The coffee shop hosts a variety of events to invite people to share their interests and create community among other people. The board is there for people to post flyers for different causes, organizations and clubs. Shabo said anyone can ask to host their events, and they host a wide variety of things from chess clubs to morning raves.
“If I see a guy playing guitar I offer him the space to come and play with his band,” Yousef said. “There’s also a group of retired UT professors and they come and play jazz once in a while.”
This past weekend BRB hosted a dance night featuring house beats and arabic melodies from the DJ Watermelon FM. The night provided a free way for people to get involved with new music in a unique environment. Omar Maldonado, founder of Watermelon FM, said BRB was one of his favorite places in Austin and had wanted to do a music set there.
“It’s an alternative space, it’s a laundry mat and then there’s a corner where it can be used as an event space,” Maldonado said. “It can bring people together in a safe space, where people can dance away from downtown craziness.”
The night was filled with a set of 35 songs prepared by Maldonado that offered a contrast to typical club music.
“Our parties are open, you are welcome to dance with us and just show up as you are,” Maldonado said.
The following day, a bakesale featured the bakery Azucar Dulce, serving Mexican-inspired goods. The event, called “Hecho en Casa,” was pay what you can, with all proceeds going toward legal support for those impacted by ICE in the community through VECINA, an immigration focused non-profit.
“My hope is that this business and my culture is inspiring people to either create their own business, bring new ideas, and bring uncomfortable conversations up,” bakery owner Anna Naumova said.
Naumova said she appreciated how many cultures were featured and immersed at BRB. Prior to the event, she brought samples for both Shabo brothers to try and the idea of doing a pop-up in the shop, but wanted to ensure that payment was not a restraint for anyone interested in participating.
“With everything that’s going on, I really was inspired to create a fundraiser, a community event that would bring people in,” Naumova said. “Some people want to try different kinds of items, but maybe they can’t afford it but they also want to help with the causes.”
BRB merges a variety of interests for the community that range from supporting global issues to uplifting local creatives. In addition to this, baked goods made from Shabo’s mother and other immigrant women in the Austin area are sold at the register. Each item has the name of the business and country they are from. The small and “community corner” feeling is what Shabo said they aim to foster. He said he wants it to remain a place where people can have a personal connection to the community within.
“We want to give people the opportunity to make their own foods, tell their stories and celebrate their culture,” Shabo said.
