From Idea to Coffee Trailer: Our Journey to Germantown

I am often asked about what style of trailer we use, or why I started Juniper & Co. in the first place. When I say, "we actually built the trailer ourselves," I find people usually interpret that to mean we renovated an existing trailer, but that's not the case. We BUILT it. (When I say "we," I mostly mean my partner, Trevor, but I was involved, so it counts, right?) Would I recommend building a trailer from scratch? Honestly, probably not, but we did it, had a blast, and have a quirky, lovely trailer to show for it.

As for why I started Juniper & Co., I've always felt at home in a coffee shop. I remember being a teenager, spending time doing homework at my local coffee shop (huge shoutout to Element Coffee in Camarillo, CA). The local art on the walls, the sound of milk steaming, and conversations buzzing around me, always made me feel peaceful and like I was part of something.

Later, after graduating college and moving to Nashville, I was working a corporate job that was good but wasn't something I was passionate about. I spent a lot of time daydreaming about what I wanted my future to look like. I knew I would love to own a business. I'd always had an entrepreneurial spirit, from selling handmade jewelry in college to vintage goods in Nashville (which I still actually do, inside Bits & Pieces). I loved creating a brand and being my own boss, even in a small way. I also knew I loved the idea of owning a coffee shop and creating that home base for my community, the way so many coffee shops had done for me. A brick and mortar just wasn't in the budget, and so, the idea of a coffee trailer was born.

I decided to name the business Juniper & Co. after my rescue cat, Juniper. She is Juniper, and we're the "co," meaning it's her world, and we're simply living in it. I researched different ways to make this idea come to life: buy a new build coffee trailer (costly), renovate a camper or horse trailer (honestly probably the best option looking back, but I couldn't find one I loved), or...build one ourselves? And so, we started building.

The whole process took about a year and a half from start to finish. Trevor and I were both working, so it was mostly a weekend project. From building out the floors, framing the structure, putting up walls, painting and finishing touches, and everything in between, we poured love (and my entire savings) into this dream. Trevor deserves a huge thank you for helping this vision come to life, I couldn't have done it without him.

During construction, I started working at Bits & Pieces here in Germantown. While looking for parking for the trailer, I spoke to the owner, Aubrey, about the idea of parking Juniper & Co. outside her business. After some logistical planning, she said yes. She has always been incredibly supportive, and I'm really just thankful for her and the opportunity to be a part of this community.

And so, on June 15, 2024, Juniper & Co. opened for business and has been open in Germantown since! The past two years have been a dream come true. Getting to be a part of the community's mornings, plugging in to the Germantown small business family, and serving thoughtfully crated coffee made with love is genuinely the best thing that's ever happened to me.

So, that's our journey. Now you know!

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