One glance around most of the Lamppost Coffee locations and you won’t miss the beautiful photography on the walls. We have Julie Copenhaver, one of our regulars, to thank for them.
Another Round Rock native, Julie’s roots go deep; she graduated from Round Rock High School, studied at Baylor, and still has family in Round Rock. Her 11 years living in Waco were filled with a variety of activities. Having gotten her masters in Journalism at Baylor, she worked in the marketing department of her Alma Mater managing photography and content. However, she also spent time working in the film industry in Austin, doing some stunt work, and eventually getting involved in the Career and Professional Development office of Baylor’s alumni association. She credits Waco as the place she grew up and settled into an apartment on the river she loved dearly.
However at 37, Julie had an epiphany while doing coverage on a panel discussion of three entrepreneurial women (one of whom was a professional magazine photographer). Hearing stories of these women building their own business, traveling, and making connections with varied communities, she realized she wanted to do more with her day than her current office job allowed. “It was like this trifecta of my past, present, and future.” So, she started researching the costs of putting her belongings in storage and pursuing travel photography--two things she was already passionate about.
Julie describes those next few months as panic-inducing at times. Rethinking the structure of her life and getting friends and family on board with this idea of traveling the world solo. Thankfully, they all warmed up to her dream and in July of 2017, she quit her job. She lined up an exciting first trip to Scotland with friends to ease into the idea, soon after spending time in London. It ended up being a blast, and she spent the next year traveling through Yellowstone, road tripping the East Coast, arriving in Australia to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, driving through New Zealand, exploring Morocco, and ending in Kenya to help a family from church build their orphanage. Her experience in Morocco, especially, she credits with solidifying this calling to experience the world and share in that community. She speaks about a lost phone incident and recovery in Morocco specifically as an intense faith-defining moment that still moves her to this day.
After that year, she participated in a craft fair in Cedar Park when someone brought up the organization Pacific Hope, a group that travels the Bahamas performing medical missions on a Japanese vessel. Soon after, the captain called her and asked her to come aboard to document their missions. Julie ended up getting a full time position with them, visiting Greece, London, and different islands--often the first responders in natural disasters.
Eventually, she cut down to traveling one week out of the month with them; this way, she was able to work remotely and train workers on the ship via Zoom. It was a blessing in disguise as she discovered Lamppost Coffee, where she’d work remotely, when she wasn’t home taking care of her parents. After the pandemic hit, business lulled which gave her the opportunity to be with family when her father passed. She says she can look back on the timing of everything and feel gratitude. It forced her to slow down and gave her an opportunity to be with family during those hard times.
We have to say: we are grateful she found us, as well. She happened to be working on location during the soft opening of our Georgetown location in the winter of 2018. While sitting at a table by the window, she mentioned to a man and his family that the walls were bare; she’d later come to learn was Michael Woolstrum, Brian’s business partner. Michael ended up giving her permission to put up her photograph, and the rest is history.
Nowadays, you can find Julie hanging new photograph prints consistently for the Georgetown, original Round Rock, and downtown Round Rock locations. She consistently visits those three locations, bringing a joy and spirit of adventure with her. Next time you’re in, just ask to hear about her adventures--you won’t regret it.
Julie’s photography business can be found at her website here, or on Facebook at JKCopenhaver Photography. For physical prints of her work, visit our Georgetown or Round Rock stores--and soon, our 183 and Hutto locations, as well…stay tuned for more of her work!
As always, thank you for reading!
The Post xx
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