Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Homer.
Hi Chris, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
MOD Coffeehouse was founded in 2001 by the Brown Family. They wanted to breathe new life into downtown Galveston by creating a space where the community could gather. The Browns restored the historic Pix Building and added beautiful outside seating to encourage development on Post Office Street.
The name “MOD” comes from their vision to bring something more modern, yet full of charm and warmth to Galveston’s historic downtown.
MOD was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ike, sustaining over 9 feet of water. Despite the devastation, the Brown family and the Galveston community rallied together. Less than a year later, on May 15, 2009, MOD reopened its doors.
In 2010, the Browns sold the coffeehouse to Holly Hopkins, who became the second Steward of MOD, continuing to honor the founding vision, values, and traditions.
In May of 2025, Chris Homer became the third Steward of MOD, proudly carrying forward the legacy built by the Browns and Holly—preserving the same values, traditions, and welcoming spirit that have defined MOD for nearly a quarter century.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In the 24 years since opening, MOD has navigated a few challenges. Hurricanes are a regular challenge in Galveston, and Ike in 2008 was among the worst ever, pushing 9 feet of water into the business. MOD also successfully navigated the COVID-19 operational challenges in 2020-21, and was able to stay open and serve the community during the variety of shutdowns.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about MOD Coffeehouse?
The MOD brand is based on community – our business motto is “For the love of coffee & community” and we work daily to live up to that statement. While there are many amazing coffeehouses in the area, MOD is noted as being a central part of the Galveston community. We host events ranging from UTMB community education gatherings to downtown alliance and economic meetings. We are a daily gathering place for community leaders, business leaders, politicians and activists, college students, and downtown residents. We strongly enforce leaving controversy and politics outside our doors, allow ANYONE to come into our business to enjoy our coffee, enjoy the beauty of the building, and feel safe to relax and connect with people.
We further actively strive to give back to the Galveston community. We are among the most active businesses in the city in terms of supporting local community causes, both through financial and in-kind donations, and our staff donates their time to a number of volunteer engagements and groups in our city.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
The VAST majority of the credit goes to the initial founders of MOD, the Brown family, and Holly Hopkins as the second steward/leader. The Browns vision to create MOD established the baseline for what we see today, and Holly’s amazing leadership of both MOD and how MOD contributed to the community has kept us in the middle of so many important events and contributions to Galveston.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.modcoffeehouse.com
- Instagram: modcoffeehouse
- Facebook: modcoffeehouse
Image Credits
Dima Velyush
