Find your muse at new coffee spot

ANAHUAC— Throughout time, muses have inspired some of the greatest works of art, from poetry to paintings to music to plays, and now, Anahuac has its own muse of sorts.

On Tuesday, March 25, Muse Coffee opened its doors, providing the community with artfully crafted coffees and teas.

"Opening day was incredible. The amount of support we received from the community was overwhelming and beyond what we ever dreamed," Owner Cameron Lieck McCrary said. "We are so grateful to the Anahuac community as well as the Chambers County community to come and show their support. It means the world to us!"

Muse Coffee got its start in October of 2024 when four long-time friends, Tyler and Kayla Baggerley and Lucas and Cameron McCrary, decided to expand beyond volunteering at their church's coffee bar.

Before Muse, in 2022, the Baggerleys became the leads over the MercyGate Coffee Bar in Mont Belvieu. In the spring of 2024, the McCrarys began volunteering alongside the Baggerleys.

One Sunday, while working the coffee bar at MercyGate Church, a family friend and local businessman, Jimmy Smith, suggested the four start their own business.

"The four of us had been good friends for years and were all itching to do something new career-wise and so it felt like a no-brainer going into business together," Lieck McCrary said.

From there, the troupe began selling from a coffee cart at farmers markets and private events, quickly earning a name for themselves.

The name Muse Coffee was inspired by the troupe's love for all forms of art, whether it's music, paintings and sculptures, movies, or other.

"Each of us is very creative in our own way and knew that we wanted to incorporate our love for all things artistic while simultaneously making a space where people feel inspired to let their creativity flow." Lieck McCrary said. "Every body of art is influenced by some kind of muse, and so 'Muse Coffee' just felt right."

As for the product itself, the troupe is proud to use a Texas roastery that ventures to Central and South America to source high-quality beans.

"As people who have a passion for coffee, we want to make sure our product is consistent and flavorful," Lieck McCrary said. "We don't just serve any coffee — we serve what we believe to be the best beans."

Comparing the brick-and-mortar to farmers markets and events, the shop operates the same regarding machinery and products.

On the market side of things, the troupe enjoys meeting new people, experiencing what other communities have to offer, and networking with a variety of vendors and business owners.

"Our pop-ups are always high in energy and turnout and we always enjoy it," Lieck McCrary said.

For now, the troupe reserves Saturdays for events such as these, but they plan to open on Saturdays in the future.

"We love being able to head to farmers markets on Saturdays and serve those communities as well," Lieck McCrary said.

With cozy coaches and a variety of board and card games, the troupe is excited to foster and further develop the community in and around Anahuac.

"Having people come in and actually wanting to sit and stay for a while because of the atmosphere we've worked so hard to create has been one of the most awesome parts of opening," Lieck McCrary said.

The journey to opening wasn't always the easiest, with the most significant obstacle being renovations to the building, which sat empty for about two years. When it was first purchased, there was no ceiling, and electrical and plumbing systems were subpar for a coffee bar.

The troupe still saw much potential in the space, investing personal time, money and resources to make "this dream a reality."

"The love, support, and success we've experienced so far has made it all worth it," Lieck McCrary said.

The troupe wishes to extend their gratitude to the people who have helped them along the way, including the McCrary family, Baggerley family, Lieck/Henry family, Walker/Kingsbury family, Williams family, Gibson family, Smith family, Chambliss family and their MercyGate Church family.

"Not only have we poured our resources, hearts, and prayers into Muse Coffee, but so many others who love and support us have as well," Lieck McCrary said.

These families have shown their support through attending farmers markets, helping with painting, wiring and with plumbing, lending equipment, donating furniture, praying over them and the business, and more.

"None of this would have been possible without a village that loves and believes in us," Lieck McCrary said. "And thank you again to the Anahuac community for welcoming us with open arms and supporting this small business."

Muse Coffee is open Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shop is located at 312 Miller St., Anahuac. For updates on the shop, visit their Facebook page at Muse Coffee.