“We stumbled in there for some water, and I just fell in love,” he said of the memory. “The hardwood floors and low lights—it was just a beautiful aesthetic. We ended up sitting down, playing board games and spending the day there in the middle of the summer, escaping the heat.”

Burns chatted with the owner, and upon leaving told her: “This is what I’m going to do; I’m going to have a coffee shop someday.”

A love for coffee soon followed Burns' draw to the culture and coffee shop atmosphere. He launched a coffee kiosk in 2010 called Brian’s Brew, and then in 2015 opened Lamppost Coffee in Round Rock.

The Lamppost team started looking for a second location, and Georgetown had always been on their radar, Burns said.

“When this spot on the square became available it was really obvious,” he said of the new Georgetown shop. “We saw a lot of potential for this space, though we had no idea how quickly it would become so busy. We have been pleasantly surprised by how great our reception has been.”

In December Burns will reopen his coffee kiosk in downtown Austin under the Lamppost Coffee brand.

The Lamppost name is a nod to C.S. Lewis’ fictional world of Narnia; both shops contain a lion mural, and guests can order the business's special, the Lamba – Turkish for lamp – Latte. The sweet drink’s syrup is flavored using a secret recipe.

In Narnia, the lamppost guides the characters home, Burns said.

“A lot of coffee places are geared toward getting you in and out,” he said. “We want to build community and be a place where people feel comfortable spending a lot of time. We want to know your name and build a relationship. We want Lamppost Coffee to feel like another home.”