SAN ANTONIO — Bright Coffee located in Beacon Hill was founded on bringing community together and uniting those with a burning passion for coffee --- and swing dancing.
Hana Buck, the owner of Bright Coffee, said she and her fiancé have a passion for swing dancing and wanted to figure out a way to combine that passion while also helping people who are following their own. A coffee shop made perfect sense.
"We wanted to bring all of these ideas together into one space for it to be just like a communal watering hole but, also a creative space for artists to thrive and build their craft and showcase their work," Buck said.
Buck describes Bright Coffee as a "coffee shop during the day and a studio space at night." The San Antonio Swing Dance Society is at the top of their priority list, but anyone who's wanting to rent out the space is welcome to, Buck said.
The coffee shop extraordinaire has been open for just two months but business has been booming.
"The neighborhood has been really really supportive," Bucks said. "Beacon Hill has a really rich history, so we wanted to pay respect to that and make sure that everybody who was here before us feels welcome."
Bright Coffee has the traditional espresso menu that you would expect from coffee shops but she also added Korean-inspired drinks such as a Banana Milk Latte and other flavors. Bucks also made it a point to create something that feels and tastes like coffee but without the caffeine, noting that she knows people are opting to live caffeine-free lives.
"Being able to offer alternatives beyond coffee and tea was kind of a challenge, but the red bean latte and black sesame coffee don't have caffeine in them," Bucks said. "So, those are really fun and interesting drinks that kind of feel like you're still included in the coffee scene."
One thing Buck said that she really likes about the coffee shop is the way it brings people together. She's seen people who have came in to start their day, strike up a conversation with someone else who's doing the same and establish a connection that way.
"That's my favorite part. It's just bringing people together and having them collaborate and just create new stuff," Bucks said.
With her dreams coming into fruition, she says she hopes this business to continue to be a positive staple in the community. This is also a pet-friendly coffee shop, with their first four-legged regular being Jet.
