Food Contributor Spotlight - Houndstooth Coffee

7/2/25 - Devin Perez, City Coordinator at Houndstooth Coffee, poses in the E MLK shop.

7/2/25- A barista pours a latte at Houndstooth Coffee on E MLK.

For Houndstooth Coffee, coffee is only one part of the equation. Although its drinks are excellent, Houndstooth views its coffee as a way to support communities and provide safe spaces for both individuals and groups. “We like to say 51% hospitality, 49% coffee,” said Devin Perez, Houndstooth’s City Coordinator for Austin.

After seven years at the company, Perez reveals that Houndstooth’s commitment to communities has also played a role in her career path. “As I’ve spent time with the company, the emphasis on connecting with people is really what’s kept me here,” said Perez. “My job feels meaningful.”

As part of the organization’s support for its communities, Houndstooth’s Rock Rose location first reached out to Keep Austin Fed in 2021 to begin donating surplus food. In 2024, the E MLK shop became the second location to help feed hungry Austinites. The weekly donations from the two shops benefit Balcones Terrace, an affordable housing complex in north Austin, and Open Door Preschool, a nonprofit preschool that nurtures and inspires young children of diverse abilities, circumstances, and backgrounds in a child-led, play-based environment.

After looking at several options, Houndstooth Coffee decided to partner with Keep Austin Fed in 2021 because of the ease with which it was able to donate. “The fact that y’all pick up and then distribute yourselves makes it super efficient,” said Perez. “It’s very easy.”

After communicating with staff members, Houndstooth Coffee was able to quickly add setting aside donations to its daily routine. Twice a shift, Houndstooth’s baristas collect, label, and freeze leftover pastries or tacos for pickup by a Keep Austin Fed volunteer or staff member.

Although donating is a simple addition to the shops’ daily routines, it provides a big boost to satisfaction and engagement. “When my staff found out that we were going to be donating, they were all very excited to contribute,” said Perez. “When our guests find out that we’re a part of it, it also makes them very happy.”