By Jason Wentworth
Brenda Schrum is a people person.
As owner and friendly face of Brenda's Cottage in Alliance, Schrum naturally pays a great deal of attention to the quality of the beverages, snacks and other merchandise sold in the cozy little coffee shop. But she pays just as much attention to the experience of being in Brenda's Cottage.
"When [customers] walk in, they get the sense that it's a home. And when they leave, they have the sense that it's a home--and that's what I love," Schrum tells Panhandle Post. "I can't explain enough within my heart how that makes me feel."
The business, located next door to Total Reflections in Alliance, started with the challenges of the COVID lockdown; supplies were delayed or unavailable. However, as the months on the calendar turned Brenda's Cottage turned the corner, and has become a popular morning coffee spot.
Schrum notes, "I love to visit! I try to get to know my customers...I'm getting quite a coffee family in that regard... we laugh, we cry, we yell, we have fun, we get serious...it's an everyday life when they come through the door."
Check out our complete podcast interview with Brenda Schrum below, which includes further discussion on the store' merchandise, the availability to rent the space for gatherings, and more. We've also got a video tour of Brenda's Cottage.