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<\/a>Anyone who knows Frank and Cheryl Bowen knows it wasn\u2019t all that difficult for them. After all, they\u2019ve both been working with the public for a combined 42 years: Frank at the Van Wert County Sheriff\u2019s Department and, most recently, as chief Common Pleas probation officer, and Cheryl as a dispatcher with the city police department.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I guess I just like to talk,\u201d Frank said with a laugh. He gets to do a lot of that in his \u201cofficial\u201d duties as chief greeter at Brewed Expressions, one of Van Wert\u2019s newest small businesses. \u201cThe people keep talking back to me, so I must be doing something right.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bowen family has long been engrained in the community, and they expanded that hometown hospitality in February by purchasing a drive-through coffee shop at 1114 S. Washington St. in Van Wert. \u201cI retired in 2012 and, well, I guess I\u2019m working again,\u201d Frank said. \u201cBut we all just like working with people.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the couple is actively involved in the venture, the older Bowens leave the day-to-day business operations to son Frankie and daughter-in-law Laura.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had an opportunity to buy this and, of course, we were a little worried because you just never know,\u201d Frank said, \u201cbut it\u2019s just going great and we couldn\u2019t be happier with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
In its first four months of business, there were bumps and bruises along the way, but things have smoothed out and Brewed Expressions is now running like a well-oiled machine, offering a variety of hot and cold gourmet coffees, espressos, frappes, in addition to baked goods from Van Wert\u2019s own CakeCrazy.<\/p>\n
\u201cA month after we opened we had to buy a new espresso machine and that\u2019s pretty much like buying a new car,\u201d Frankie Bowen said. \u201cAnytime you make an investment like this you\u2019re going to run into that kind of stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of little things added up quickly and that was scary for us,\u201d he added. \u201cIt was horrible at the time, but we had a lot of support from other small businesses who helped get us back up and running pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRunning\u201d might be an understatement. Since opening just four months ago, the business has gained a huge following of \u201cregulars\u201d who drive through every day for what some fans have called their \u201cliquid IVs.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s their secret? \u201cWell, it\u2019s good coffee first of all,\u201d Frank said. \u201cI\u2019ve been drinking coffee my whole life and a lot of people like me just have to have their coffee, no matter how hot it is outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
And on those 90-degree scorcher days when hot coffee might not sound so appealing?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started marketing our cold drinks in April and changing our menus to a lot of iced products,\u201d Frankie Bowen said. \u201cOur red velvet drink has really taken off and it has actual cake mix in it and people comment that they really love it. We were kind of worried at first that the business would slow down in the summer, but it\u2019s actually maintained itself, and even gotten busier on some days.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s welcome news for the family — and for the legion of followers the business has quickly amassed. Utilizing social media, Brewed Expressions has offered contests and promotions such as \u201cshow us your best \u2018selfie\u2019\u201d to bring in business, in addition to partnering up with Niswonger Performing Arts Center to offer free coffee samples during events and shows.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first day we were there we served over a thousand cups of coffee,\u201d Frankie said. \u201cWe do a lot of cross marketing by handing out their flyers and offering free tickets for our customers, so that\u2019s been great for both of us, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Memorial Day, Brewed Expressions offered free coffee to any veteran or active military serviceperson, furthering its efforts to be a community-oriented business.<\/p>\n