A coffee shop, an esthetician, and a tattoo parlor walk into a bar. This combination of businesses sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. However, this trio of businesses have been open for about a year off Hwy 16 S in Bandera.
Hayes Coffee House, House of Bare Beauty and Divine Nature Tattoos all share the same building, which the three owners— Bandera natives—purchased together. The idea originated with Brittney Kosmalski, owner of House of Bare Beauty.
Kosmalski first proposed the plan to her best friend, Monica Hayes, before later bringing in Hayes’ brother, Evan Hayes, a U.S. Navy veteran and tattoo artist. Though each operates their own business, they share the space collaboratively.
The partnership has deep roots. Kosmalski and the Hayeses grew up in Bandera but didn’t meet until later in life.
“The restaurant industry is actually where we met,” Kosmalski said. “I was bartending while going through school, and it really just took off from there.”
After attending esthetician school in Austin, Kosmalski opened House of Bare Beauty in a strip center but soon found herself wanting something different.
“When I opened up, I was over by Anytime Fitness, but I just wanted something different,” she said.
When she saw a historic home for sale, she suggested to Monica Hayes that she open a coffee shop there.
Monica Hayes, who had worked in food service for years, had always dreamed of running her own shop. She jumped at the opportunity, and two months later, Hayes Coffee House opened its doors.
“I love the connection between a customer and a barista in a coffee shop setting,” she said. “You get to learn about people, hear their stories and what they’re going through.”
Initially, Kosmalski and Monica Hayes had planned for a longer setup process, hoping to open by the end of the year. Instead, they launched in May, quickly falling in love with the history of the building, which once housed a flower shop and still contains a cooler originally from the Menger Hotel in San Antonio.
Though they’ve only been in the space since May, the businesses have been embraced by the local community. A common misconception is that they are a single business, but Kosmalski and the Hayeses have each made their mark individually while supporting one another.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, so I’ve seen a lot of things,” Monica Hayes said. “I really just want to connect with people and help them out.”
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