A New Look for Island Joes - The Bend Magazine

A New Look for Island Joes

Island Joes pairs coffee and construction in their exciting new shipping container location

By: Mindy Mayden  Photos by: Bryan Tumlinson

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Driving onto North PadrebrIsland, passersby are hard-pressed to miss the towering stack of brightlybrcolored shipping containers along the highway. This Lego-like construction isbrthe new location for coffee shop, Island Joes Coffee and Gallery, owned bybrBryan and Brenda Tumlinson. It is the result of collaboration between Bryan andbrhis son, Andrew. Together, they built the new site, which extends up two floorsbrand incorporates a total of ten shipping containers, almost entirely bybrthemselves. 

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Island Joes has been a localbrfavorite since their opening in 2014 and has been unique from the start. Whenbropening the shop, Bryan said he had to consider the reality of coffee shops inbrSouth Texas. “We sell more cold drinks than hot drinks. Our summer time is ourbrbig time, versus coffee selling more in most markets is the wintertime.” Tobrcater to that cold drink necessity, Bryan invented the recipe for their nowbrwell-known Mexican Vanilla Cold Brew coffee. 

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The unique properties ofbrthe shop continue as these shipping containers come together to create anbreclectic space which will boast an impressive set of two separate coffee bars.brThe main bar, which will be built with wood from the destruction of HurricanebrHarvey, will have the espresso machines and options, while a side bar will havebrcold brews and slow pours. The indoor space will have a conglomeration ofbrtextures and feels in keeping with the colorful standard they have set on thebroutside. Bryan explains, “It will have an industrial, island, eclectic kind ofbrvibe.” The upstairs will be comprised of micro-offices, which can be rented outbrby local businesses, as well as outdoor seating.

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 Bryan also plans onbrmaking the new Joes a hub for arts and culture in the Coastal Bend. Currently,brIsland Joes serves as a gallery for Bryan’s commercial photography. At the newbrlocation, Bryan hopes to bring in artists from all over the state to come and performbrtheir original music for Island Joes’ guests. On the 1800 square foot patio, alongbrwith a host of games for guests to play, the new Island Joes will have a moviebrscreen for screening independent films as well.

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The Tumlinsons have bigbrplans for the future of Island Joes. While this Padre Island location will bebrthe flagship store for Island Joes Coffee and Gallery, Bryan hopes tobreventually expand into other areas of the Coastal Bend. The new location is set to have a soft opening in September and a Grand Opening Celebration in October! 

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