Tucked in the heart of Natchitoches, StoryBrew Coffee Cafe has become more than a local coffee shop—it is a clear reflection of hard work and dedication that turned a childhood dream into a reality.

Located at 780 Front St., Suite 104, StoryBrew is open six days a week and closed on Tuesdays.

When you walk into the coffee shop, you’re greeted by a human-sized dragon and the murmurs of old friends catching up—all surrounded by fantasy-comic décor that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a new world. Amber Beaudon, owner of StoryBrew, shared how her aspiration to become a business owner came to fruition.

“I remember we were driving somewhere, and I saw a bunch of books on the window. We walked in and I smelled fresh baked pastries. I saw people relaxing and drinking coffee, and I became hooked,” Beaudon said.

Starting off as a business major at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Beaudon realized two years into the program that it wasn’t what she truly was passionate about.

“I enjoyed more of the creative aspects of everything. I switched up to be an English major, but I kept business as my minor. I kept thinking about how I was going to make my coffee shop different,” Beaudon reflected.

Beaudon confessed that she took inspiration on the design for StoryBrew from an Anime Comic Convention she attended with one of her friends.

“I don’t want to say it inspired StoryBrew, but it helped me go in the right direction for what I wanted,” she said. “I wanted people to feel welcome. I wanted them to feel like they didn’t have to fit in a box.”

StoryBrew officially opened its doors in May 2020, though there were some complications due to COVID-19.

“I couldn’t officially open the inside yet because there were a lot of limitations, so I just set up by the front door, pulled a table and propped the door open. I put out a bookcase and waited for people to come,” Beaudon said.

Since then, StoryBrew has grown incredibly, expanding its drinks and pastries to draw in more clientele.

Beaudon admitted that she likes to experiment with her menu, and she’s known to have a creative choice of drinks for almost every season.

“I figure out what theme I want to do, and I just base the flavorings and stuff off the theme. It’s a lot of taste testing—I try to order new syrups we haven’t tried before, and recently we have been trying to make our own syrups,” she said.

As for pastries, she also likes to associate them with the themes but keeps some signature ones year-round.

“Pastry-wise my king-sized cinnamon rolls—they are huge, probably double if not triple the size of a normal cinnamon roll—my chocolate chip cookies, blueberry muffins and scones have become really popular,” Beaudon listed.

She also shared that they now have even incorporated a ‘get sconed day.’

“We try to feature every scone we have, and we also try to introduce new scone flavors. I’m working on some savory scones and recipes now,” Beaudon said.

Their seasonal menu is based on the Sugar Plum Fairy, featuring five signature holiday specials.

The Sugar Cookie Shaken Espresso includes the classic sugar cookie flavor, espresso and almond milk, topped with butter vanilla cold foam and sanding sugar.

The Pink Velvet Frost is a caffeine-free blend of pink vanilla cake batter topped with peppermint whipped cream and crushed peppermint.

Served either hot or iced, the Fireside Dreams Latte, is a butterscotch, salted caramel flavored espresso topped with English toffee and caramel drizzle.

The Christmas Rose Latte, which is also served either hot or iced, is rose, peppermint and white chocolate flavored. The Land of Sweets is white-hot chocolate with peppermint topped with peppermint whipped cream and crushed peppermint.

Although most people stop in for the drinks and pastries, StoryBrew also provides a family-oriented environment where customers can relax and students can find a study spot close to campus.

The sense of comfort and homey feeling is no accident. Before StoryBrew existed, Beaudon had already started to collect different items in hopes of one day being able to use them in her own coffee shop.

“I collected a lot of stuff, thankfully I had a lot of family that was willing to help with whatever I needed on the inside. My parents and my uncle built the espresso bar area for me, my sister donated the couch and the chairs. So little bits and pieces of this shop are like a part of my family,” Beaudon said.

What started as a dream turned into a reality for Beaudon, and she encourages young people to take the risk and do what they believe in.

“There’s going to be trial and error, there’s going to be bumpy roads, but if you have a dream or an aspiration, don’t let other people’s opinions or worries stop you from pursuing it,” Beaudon encourages.

And who knows? Maybe a cup of coffee from StoryBrew Coffee Cafe can help you fuel that dream.