Brewing a Dream
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David Murphy and Seth Gretz co-owners of Brevada are enriching Brevada’s culture with a new expansion and taking their brand to the next level. (Image: Brian Gailey)
We are not in it for the money; we are in it to fulfill the purpose we feel Klamath needs
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – David Murphy and Seth Gretz co-owners of Brevada have had a dream since day one. It was not to build the most coffee shops in the basin, but rather build a culture of coffee that they, their employees, and most importantly, their customers want to enjoy.
Together they are enriching Brevada’s culture with a new expansion and adding an extra shot to the brand.
A few months ago, they closed a real estate deal on a new property. The pair of entrepreneurs are the new owners of the former bank building at the corner of Dahlia Street & Shallock Avenue. This new space is just a few feet across the parking lot from their current location. Currently, they are working hard to flip the building while facing challenges head-on and learning new skills along the way.
“Basically, we are going to be moving Brevada from that location into this location – this is going to be its new main location,” said Gretz. “We just rent our current location. We own this so it gives us a little more freedom.”
Gretz added, “We will be able to design it the exact way we want. With [the current] location we are just kind of fitting into a space that was already existing and just kind of making it work. It works great, but this [new location] gives us the ability to take things to the next level.”
The new expansion will have a touch of repurposed flair, yet also include new exciting options. Featuring indoor/outdoor dining, a better drive-up experience, and a small stage.
The pair acquired the dining tables and chairs of the former Creamery and they have plans for new kitchen equipment, display coolers, beverage service, and two new espresso machines. With one machine dedicated to drive-up window service.
David Murphy and Seth Gretz leave their mark on the Brevada expansion. (Image: Brian Gailey)
In addition to the new café, Murphy and Gretz will continue to lease the current location. After completion of the new expansion, they will then redevelop the original location into a small rental venue, with a catering kitchen.
“We are going to keep our hands on the old location and turn it into a private rental space for private events,” said Gretz. “We do a lot of those already and they are super fun to do, but it becomes difficult to do them in the same space your business is operating in.”
“We will have an online scheduler, just like when going to get a haircut,” said Murphy. “[Book] for one hour or two hours, [enter] how many people, [select if] you want it catered, we want to make it easy.”
Murphy continued, “If you try and go rent somewhere in town. You have to jump through a lot of hoops, this just makes me not want to do it. Like [booking] way in advance, you never know how much it’s going to cost, or it’s too big.”
“That’s a big thing, especially in Klamath Falls, there are not a lot of smaller rental spaces,” said Gretz. “You have [venues downtown] which are great but rather big. I mean you are not going to go have a baby shower there for twenty people. But at the same time, going to a restaurant you feel inclined to buy all the product, as you don’t want to put them out.
Gretz added, “[In this space] it is quite comfortable. You can put a bunch of people in there, or you can put ten and it still feels good.”
To help keep the budget under control, the Oregon Tech grads are acting as their own general contractor on the job. Completing tasks as they can, while balancing work and life. They have received help and advice from friends and customers alike. One has helped with landscaping, another with concrete work.
With their large fanbase, they are open to people who truly want to help. “But the best way for everyone to help is to come buy a cup of coffee,” said Murphy.
“Slowly but surely is honestly the best way to describe how we been going about this project,” stated Gretz. “We have a limited budget and when you do things yourself you save a lot of money. There is a problem you run into every single day, we don’t have the bankroll to build something tear it down and build it again.
“We want to see Klamath Falls grow in the right way. We want to see this area become a thriving place.
We both love Klamath Falls, and both want to raise our families here we feel like this is a very important piece to being here.
We just want to see Klamath be better.”
An opening date for the expansion has not been established but hope to be open by the spring of 2024.
Editors Note: Extended Interview
I have known David and Seth since they opened Brevada. On this occasion, I had the privilege to visit the construction site and chat with them regarding the expansion.
We discussed their business, new opportunities, and the challenges they are facing. This conversation was far too in-depth to summarize for this article. Therefore, I have created a playable form of the interview for all to listen to. Click the orange play button below to listen.
Additionally, is this something that you would like to see more of? If so, send me a message and let me know if we should continue to do this extended audio interview format with other stories and/or businesses.