From running lemonade stands and reselling Hi-Chews to other kids at recess, to later flipping furniture and trying to get a sparkling tea startup off the ground, Sigrid Houske knew from an early age what she wanted to do with her life.

“I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur,” says Houske, the 27-year-old Mount Spokane High School and Eastern Washington University graduate.

Houske turned that dream into a reality on Aug. 3, when she opened Bru Coffee Hause, at 9803 N. Division, on Spokane's North Side.

Bru isn’t the typical coffee stand, Houske explains.

“All of our stuff is house made,” she says. “I really wanted to go out on a limb and be totally different.”

The almond milk, oat milk, whipped cream, French fritters, waffles, churros, bread, sandwiches, and even the dog treats for customers’ furry friends are made from scratch.

Bru’s coffee is Houske’s own medium roast that includes Hawaiian and Guatemalan coffee beans.

“I roast my own espresso,” she says. “It’s a Kona blend, and it’s amazing. We’re known for our signature Bruskis, which are four drink recipes that I’ve made up the past 10 years.”

Lines of cars flooded the area for Bru's grand opening. Houske offered free coffee that day, with tips going toward Hope House, an emergency shelter in Spokane that helps women who are experiencing homelessness.

“Spokane showed out for that,” Houske says. “We had people waiting in line for two hours to get a drink.”

The roughly 500-square-foot drive-thru coffee stand was built intentionally to look like a silo.

The orange branding was also intentional, Houske says.

The color orange and circular shapes, like that of her silo-style coffee stand, both evoke feelings of happiness and positivity, Houske says.

“I’m super into the way the brain works,” she says.

She adds, “Bru is a coffee shop, sure, but what I really want everyone to know is Bru is a lifestyle brand. You drink Bru, and you are being the real you. You are positive. You ask yourself what you’re grateful for every morning. You hype yourself up.”

Houske has made it a point to spread positivity since an early age.

“Keep smilin’,” a phrase that’s now a big part of Bru's branding, is something Houske has been saying since she was a kid.

That positive attitude helped Houske persevere when she faced challenges while trying to open Bru, she says.

From financing issues, to contractors not showing up, to figuring out how to meet complex legal requirements, Houske faced her fair share of bumps in the road.

“I’ve never had depression my entire life, I’ve never felt anxiety my entire life, and the last nine months I actually knew what that was like,” she says. “It’s so hard to be positive when you’re in that mindset, but if you can alter your brain and focus on the positives and what you can control, you’re going to succeed.”

Houske has worked various barista jobs for over 10 years, since she was old enough to drive. Those experiences have helped her in this venture, she says.

While her new role has more responsibilities than she dealt with in barista positions, Houske takes a hands-on approach.

“I don’t have kids. I’m not married. Working, to me, is the best thing I could ever do in life,” she says. “I’m there every single day, open to close.”

Houske employs eight people at Bru, and says she plans to open up more locations in the future.

Bru is open 4:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 5:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Small Bites

*A new Houston TX Hot Chicken restaurant is being planned at 9412 N. Newport Highway, just north of Chick-fil-A, next to the Sherwin-Williams paint shop, records on file with the city of Spokane show. The permit application and site plans were filed about a month after the Coeur d’Alene Press reported a Houston TX Hot Chicken restaurant may be coming to Post Falls near the intersection of Mullan Avenue and Idaho Route 41. The Las Vegas-based franchise operation first entered the Spokane market last year when it opened a location at 1839 N. Ruby.

*Spokane-based Pizza Rita appears to be planning its fourth location at 2525 E. 29th, on the South Hill, in the same multitenant building as Nothing Bundt Cakes, according to a permit application on file with the city. The longtime Spokane pizza chain also has locations at 502 W. Indiana, 5511 N. Wall, and in Spokane Valley, at 201 N. Pines. 

*The Quilting Bee, a Spokane Valley-based quilt shop, has changed hands. The now-former owners Scot and Treasure Auble announced the sale to Sara and Devin Cassan earlier this month, stating that they’re retiring after running the company for 13 years. The Quilting Bee was founded in 1978 and is located at 16002 E. Broadway.