As students approach the north side of campus, headed towards Trousdale Avenue, they are sure to see a variety of tables and tents lining the entrance. Some are fundraisers, others are advertising their organizations, and a few are businesses hoping to make some sales.
“Brewsers”, a new coffee cart, is looking to get its start amidst the crowd. Founded and run by recent USC graduate Kamryn Scott, she’s hoping to gain traction through a unique approach: using coffee as an agent of social good in the world.
“The primary thing I want to do is have mentorship where I teach young women social entrepreneurship,” said Scott, who has also integrated her other core values into her business. “I’m sourcing from Native American coffee companies and I want to hire formerly incarcerated people. I want to have meetups for senior citizens, and really it’s just going to be my community hub.”
Her handmade coffee cart is stocked with all the essentials: an espresso machine, a fridge, and pastries for customers looking for a sweet treat to go with their beverage.
Scott attributes her success to the support she garnered from her network and closest friends. They assisted her in designing her logo, locating a plumber, and managing her social media account, among other tasks.
“It’s my business but I’ve had so many people [helping me] every step of the way...I don’t know if I could have done this without all my friends, and it’s really just their kindness,” said Scott.
One of those helpers was Christian Corona, a sophomore civil engineering major, who was looking for a new woodworking project when he was approached by Scott last fall. By winter break, Corona mocked up several designs for the cart. After showing Scott the designs and settling on a final version, the other materials for the cart were purchased. However, the process didn’t come without its road bumps.
“For the most part, the process was pretty typical [from] an engineering perspective. Where you start building and then that’s when you see issues arise and that’s where you learn how to adjust and accommodate with what you have,” said Corona.
Now, the cart stands tall and catches the eyes of students passing by. Emily, a sophomore studying law, history, and culture, was among those students who felt compelled to support the small business.
“I love how it’s sustainable because I took a class about that last semester. And it was amazing to know that she had one of her friends also at USC, a civil engineer, help her make the whole cart and that the whole project took a month. That’s really impressive,” she said.
Next time you make your way along Trousdale, be sure to treat yourself to a cup of coffee and a snack from “Brewsers.”