First Look: Terrible Love

From one out-of-the-box home to another, Terrible Love – a coffee shop that previously operated out of an old horse trailer – just opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Hyde Park. The new space is located in the boiler room of the historic Baker Center (3908 Avenue B), a former school built in 1911 that now functions as an office building.

Somewhat off the beaten path, the square-shaped, throwback brick structure sits unassumingly beside the main building and parking lot. Driving by, you might easily miss it, which makes it all the more satisfying when you stumble onto it. It’s a charming shop, enveloped by wildly growing greenery with a paved walkway to lead you to the window. Shaded outdoor benches are available for seating, and despite the secluded location, there’s often a line and plenty of customers working or chattering at the tables.

The menu is far from elaborate, boasting straightforward, well-made classics. Terrible Love’s most popular drinks are the two specialty lattes created with house-made syrups: the Terrible Latte and the Grapefruit Brown Sugar. The Terrible Latte is a standout delicious offering, especially for those with banana dessert cravings. For food, they source fresh pastries from Texas French Bread and grab-and-go tacos from East Austin establishment El Xolo.

Terrible Love began as a one-man operation led by Brian Knowles. He named the business after a song by The National – a nod to his love of music in general, and also an apt description for our relationship to caffeine.

In college Knowles studied hospitality and worked in the industry before eventually pivoting to law school. While working as a lawyer for around a decade, unenthused about the profession, he began to get into coffee as a hobby and later got the opportunity to turn that pastime into a lifestyle and return to service. Succinctly described by Knowles, “I used to have a boring desk job, and then in 2017 I quit after I paid off my student loans.”

Knowles said his knowledge about coffee heightened when moved to Austin in 2014. He eventually began the transition into the coffee scene with a barista position at Wright Bros. Brew & Brew, where he remained for two and a half years.

The pandemic propelled him to start his own business, and working out of a trailer was the cheapest and easiest way to get going. By May of 2021, the Terrible Love trailer opened at the outdoor music venue Kenny Dorham's Backyard. Later it moved to Eastside brewery Oddwood Brewing before making its landing in the Baker Center in November of 2022, thanks to a friend in real estate who helped him locate the space.

Following that move came more good luck, and for about one year there’s been motion towards moving from the trailer to the boiler room. After heavy renovations that included building a firewall around the active boiler, and upgrading the plumbing and electrical units, Knowles finally celebrated the new space’s soft opening on September 2.

Where visibility is lacking in the Baker Center, friendship and loyalty within Austin’s coffee community helped him build a following that’s stayed with him. As more people stumble across the hidden gem and find great reliable coffee, Terrible Love continues to grow as a beloved casual fixture in the neighborhood.

“Each time I was so worried about where I was gonna be, and then it just worked out,” reflected Knowles. “It's just about knowing people, you know? Being involved in the community here, it's so supportive and everybody's just really helpful, so it just works out.”