Bite Club: Brew’d Coffee & Donut Shop finds success in coffee and community

HAYESVILLE – When we lived closer to Hayesville, my family frequently stopped at Brew’d Coffee & Donut Shop for breakfast before spending the rest of the day together. 

I remember my daughter standing in front of the display case, carefully picking the perfect donut, usually the one with the most sprinkles.

Back then, a couple of donuts, a coffee for me, and a cozy corner table were enough to make an ordinary morning feel like an adventure.

It’s been a while since my last visit, so I was excited to sit down with owner Margi Yeater and learn the story behind Brew’d, a shop that has become so much more than just coffee and donuts.

Through thoughtful design, tasty drinks and treats, and genuine hospitality, Margi has created a space that feels full of connection.

From the moment I walked through the door, Brew’d felt exactly how I remembered it: warm and welcoming. The small Hayesville shop has cozy wood tones, seasonal decorations, and a staff that seemed genuinely happy to see people walk through the door.

As I sat there, I watched the employees greet customers, sometimes by name, joke with each other behind the counter, and welcome people like they were family. Looking around at everyone enjoying their breakfast, it was clear that both the food and the service were worth the trip.

The most important meal of the day

I’ve always been a breakfast person, but donuts don’t usually rank too high on my list of must-haves. Unless it’s this blueberry cake donut.

Topped with cream cheese and blueberries, it’s the one donut I will never pass up. It’s sweet, creamy, and perfectly balanced, with a soft cake texture that highlights the freshness of Brew’d’s homemade donuts.

Then, based on Margi’s recommendation, I tried the glazed donut. This was proof that simple can be exceptional. The donut was incredibly fresh, light, and airy, and the glaze was perfectly sweet without overpowering the taste of the dough. But what surprised me was the texture.

As I chewed, it didn’t melt away or dissolve. Instead, the airy donut condensed into a soft, pillowy bite. I was a big fan.

The bacon, egg, and cheese croissant sandwich was one of my favorites. The bacon was thick and perfectly cooked, crispy enough that you could bite through it but still chewy enough that it didn’t crumble apart.

The croissant was flaky and buttery, pairing perfectly with the egg and cheese.

The breakfast burrito, filled with egg, ham, hash browns and cheese, was packed with flavor and came with a side of salsa and sour cream. I especially liked the grilled exterior, which added a nice crunch to each bite.

The vanilla iced latte had a great balance of coffee and sweetness. It was smooth, not overly sweet. Even as the ice melted, it never became watered down or bland. As someone who tends to stretch their coffee until lunch, I appreciated how this held up. 

Lastly, I’ve recently become a big fan of Alani, so I had to try the blue slush drink made with blue raspberry syrup, a blue slush Alani Nu, and vanilla cold foam. It was a fun, fizzy alternative to a traditional coffee drink and would be a great option for someone looking for a caffeine boost without the coffee.

I am so glad the Midwest has caught on to the dirty soda trend!

The craft behind the coffee

Margi opened Brew’d in 2019 with the goal of creating a small coffee shop of her own, inspired by the places she had always enjoyed visiting.

“I love mom and pop coffee shops,” she said. “I love just going to visit and just seeing what they all look like, and the different styles they go with.”

That appreciation for the character and individuality of local coffee shops became the foundation for Brew’d. But enjoying a great cup of coffee and knowing how to make one are two very different things.

When I asked if she had to learn much about coffee, Margi laughed.

“I still do every day,” she said. “It is like a science project.”

There’s a reason you crave a barista-made latte, even when you have a coffee machine at home. The espresso machine has to be calibrated every morning, and even factors like the weather can affect that process.

The team has learned that making a consistently good cup of coffee is about understanding the equipment, the conditions and the craft behind it.

From coffee to donuts

“I just wanted the coffee shop part of it,” Margi said. “And then Sam’s like, ‘We can’t just have coffee, you gotta have something to eat with it.’”

That conversation eventually led Margi to donuts, a part of the business she knew nothing about.

“I had no clue,” she said. “I didn’t know the first thing about doing a donut.”

So she learned.

Before Brew’d had a storefront, Margi and Sam spent about two years making donuts out of their home. Margi was still working at the courthouse, so she would get up early, make donuts, then head to work.

It was a deliberate, cautious start that allowed her to figure out whether the idea could actually work before taking the leap.

That willingness to learn has remained part of Brew’d’s identity. What started with coffee and donuts has grown into breakfast sandwiches, burritos, specialty drinks and other menu items, with Margi and her team constantly looking for ways to improve what they offer.

“I’m constantly thinking, can I perfect anything? How can I make this better?”

That mindset is evident in the work happening behind the counter, too.

The team behind the dream

A big part of Brew’d’s success has come from the people who help make it all happen.

Margi credits her longtime team, including manager Allison Durbin, with helping create the welcoming environment customers experience every day.

The two have built a relationship based on trust and an understanding of their individual strengths.

“I respect her, and she respects me,” Margi said. “We balance each other.”

That collaboration extends throughout the team. Many of the employees at Brew’d are young people working through high school or college, and Margi has made it a priority to give them room to learn, contribute and grow.

“I just want to see each one of these kids succeed,” she said.

Allison, who has been with Brew’d for more than four years, said the people are a big part of why she has stayed.

“I love to bake. I have fun with it, but it’s the people here,” Allison said. “They’re truly a family.”

And that family extends beyond the employees. There are customers who come in and stay for hours, college students who make the drive to Hayesville even though they have coffee shops closer to campus, and regulars whose orders the staff know by heart.

For Margi, those relationships are what make all the early mornings, long days and challenges worth it.

“I just encourage people to come in and just to see the place, to try drinks, the donuts, a sandwich,” she said. “And just the environment. I mean, it’s so welcoming, and, yeah, it’s fun.”

Margi started Brew’d because she wanted to create the kind of independent coffee shop she enjoyed visiting. Seven years later, she has created a place where people come for coffee and donuts, but stay for the people, the atmosphere and the feeling of being known.

My daughter may not remember those mornings we shared here together, but I remember how something as simple as donuts could make an ordinary morning feel special.

And after sitting in Brew’d again, I think that’s exactly what Margi has created: a place where good food and great company come together, turning simple moments into ones worth remembering.