Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Crick.
Hi Brian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My wife and I were both born and raised in Arizona and spent many years working in healthcare. In 2014, we decided to move to Washington State for a change of scenery—and that’s really where our story begins. While working for a large healthcare organization there, I quickly noticed something new: drive-thru coffee shops were everywhere. Big chains, small mom-and-pop stands—you couldn’t drive a block without passing several on every corner and across the streets from each other. On my commute to work, stopping for my favorite cup of coffee became a daily routine.
Before moving to Washington, neither of us were big coffee drinkers. But between the cloudy weather and long workdays, we quickly learned to appreciate a good cup of coffee. Soon, we found ourselves trying different coffee shops, exploring hot, iced, and blended drinks, and always making time to stop at our favorites—whether on the way to work or just out for a drive. Before long, we considered ourselves coffee lovers (and maybe even coffee aficionados). 🙂
After 8½ years in Washington, we decided it was time for another move—this time to sunnier, warmer weather, so we made the move to Tennessee in June of 2022. Once we arrived, we immediately noticed something missing: there were far fewer coffee shops, and very few drive-thru options. In April of 2023, after nearly 20 years in healthcare, I found myself ready for a change. I had always wanted to start my own business but never knew what it should be—until it clicked. Why not open a drive-thru coffee shop like the ones we loved in Washington? It was the perfect blend of our love for coffee and the desire to build something of our own. After talking it over, my wife and I knew this was it.
I began researching in May of 2024 and looked into several coffee franchises, but they were expensive and restrictive, with high startup costs, franchise fees, royalties, and limited control. It just didn’t feel right. That’s when I discovered Mudslingers Drive-Thru Coffee. Their model was different—not a traditional franchise, but a business development company that provides the knowledge and support needed to get started. With their guidance, I began the process of finding a location, securing permits and licenses, and working with local builders and contractors, then finally broke ground in January of 2025 and proudly opened our doors on April 21, 2025.
Today, we’ve been open for nine months and have loved every minute of it. My wife, our daughter, and I all work in the shop on various days alongside a great team of local employees. The town of Lyles and all of Hickman County have welcomed us with open arms, and the support from the community has been incredible. Everyone has been super supportive of us and always comment how they think its so great that we opened a coffee shop like ours in their small rural town. While we may not have grown up here, this is our home now too—and we wanted to build something that gives back to the community that has given so much to us.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely wasn’t a smooth road. I spent a lot of time researching how to set up, open, and run a coffee shop, but one of the biggest challenges was simply finding the right place to build. I drove up and down Highway 100 in Hickman County searching for a suitable spot. When I found one that looked promising, I had to dig through public records, track down the owners, and talk through buying or leasing the property. Even then, many locations didn’t work out once I looked into whether the necessary utilities could be installed, so I often had to start the process all over again.
Another major challenge was navigating the permitting and licensing requirements and figuring out who to talk to at each step. While the process wasn’t easy, I was fortunate to work with some incredibly helpful people. Everyone I spoke with at the Hickman County Administrative Offices took the time to guide me through the process, and the staff at both the State Highway Department and the Health Department were equally supportive and easy to work with.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mudslingers Drive-Thru Coffee?
Mudslingers is not a franchise in the traditional sense, which is a common point of confusion since there are other coffee shops across the country using the Mudslingers name. It is a drive-thru coffee shop business development company that helps others enter the industry, but this shop is 100% ours—a true mom-and-pop operation built with care and intention.
While “coffee shop” is on our sign, we’re much more than just coffee. In addition to specializing in high-quality coffee and espresso, we offer a wide variety of drinks for non-coffee drinkers, including teas, lemonades, energy drinks, fruit smoothies, and Italian sodas. We also serve sweet snacks, with our muffin tops being a customer favorite. Our signature espresso drinks are especially popular, with the Mudslinger—made with chocolate, caramel, and espresso—and our Caramel Macchiato featuring caramel, vanilla, and espresso as our top sellers.
What truly sets Mudslingers apart, though, is our friendliness and hospitality. We go beyond standard customer service by genuinely getting to know our customers—their names, preferences, and personalities and treating them like friends. We take the time our customers need, customize drinks to their liking, and make sure everything is exactly what they expected before they drive away. Even if a drink isn’t on our menu, we’ll do our best to create something they’ll love. We may spend a little longer at the window than other drive-thrus, but that’s because we believe meaningful connection is just as important as great coffee.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe the drive-thru coffee industry will continue to grow and eventually overtake traditional sit-down coffee shops as more people prioritize speed and convenience. Drive-thru only locations will likely become the standard, with larger footprints, multiple lanes, self-ordering kiosks, and increased automation designed to move cars through faster. While this efficiency will benefit operations, it may also reduce human interaction, which is unfortunate because that personal connection is a big part of what makes local coffee shops like ours special. Menus will continue expanding beyond traditional coffee to include more food and beverage options. That said, I believe shops that stay true to the original drive-thru concept—focusing on hospitality and strong local community relationships—will continue to stand out and remain relevant.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mudslingersoflyles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mudslingersoflyles/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Mudslingers-of-Lyles-61569987010032/
- Other: https://g.page/r/Cdlfhw_Lm_3PEBM/review
