With hundreds of hidden coffee shop gems popping up all over the state of Texas, three sisters made it their mission to discover each one.
Allie, Kaylee and Madison Boykin began drinking coffee in their grandmother’s backyard as soon as they could speak. As they grew, coffee and finding unique coffee spots only became more and more of a passion for them. Back in March of this year, the sisters began their “Coffee Over Tejas” blog, which has now expanded onto other social media platforms with over 100 Facebook likes and 2,400 Instagram followers.
From the coffee hub of Waco, Common Grounds, to Mobius Coffee, a shop filled with mannequin tables, these three sisters spend hours road tripping for the sole purpose of discovering the caffeinated hotspots of each town. In true coffee fanatic fashion, social studies education senior Allie Boykin said it’s not about the chain coffee shops, but the mom and pop places and the hidden community gems.
“We love seeing different communities through coffee shops and the people behind them,” Allie Boykin said. “Our hope is ‘Coffee Over Tejas’ helps to highlight and celebrate all of the different towns and people of Texas. We also strive to promote locally owned coffee shops in Texas because each one is unique and so special.”
What began as a small hobby and now reaches thousands of people across the state, “Coffee Over Tejas” remains a passion project for the Boykin sisters, all of whom use their talents to contribute to the overall blog. Above all, Allie Boykin said it’s a family centered and community driven project.
“It is awesome that all of our strengths are used while doing our blog together. Madison’s photographing ability, my writing ability, and Kaylee’s technological and creative ability are all used for the blog,” Allie Boykin said. “We all three genuinely love great coffee and our state, so it is super cool to be able to share that with one another and meet new people at the shops with one another.”
Through their blog, the sisters said they all hope that they’ll encourage people to take “Coffee Over Tejas” style adventures of their own and see the local communities right outside their door.
Charlie Webb, horticulture junior, applauds the blog and the sister’s commitment to local businesses.
“I love that it supports local coffee shops and encourages travelers to try and experience the local services at their travel destination,” Webb said. “I also love that none of the girls are professionals when it comes to their reviews of coffee shops. It makes it very relatable and real for the reader.”
Madison Boykin, education sophomore at Blinn, hopes that as the three of them grow along with “Coffee Over Tejas,” reaching more and more people and inspiring more and more people to reach out into their community.
“We are always going to love and have passion for coffee and Texas so that is never going to be something that will die for us,” Madison Boykin said. “Our hope is ‘Coffee Over Tejas’ helps to highlight and celebrate all of the different towns and people of Texas. Our hope for the blog is to encourage people to find something they are passionate about and run with with it the people they love.”