Quick Trigger By Karen A. Mann
L
ou and Brenda Velazquez have long been business innovators in Ahoskie. For 15 years, they have owned the town’s only coffee bar, located in a beautifully renovated former hotel in the tiny historic downtown area. Mug Shotz was Hertford County’s first non-smoking restaurant, and the first to offer all healthy options on the menu. Even the health department recognized the cafe for its offerings. Now, with the opening of Quick 66 | Carolina Brew Scene | Fall 2018
Trigger Brewing in September 2017, they’ve achieved another first: The town’s first brewery. “Mug Shotz has been a local meeting place for a lot of people here,” says Lou, who began home brewing eight years ago. “It was only fitting for us to complement the cafe with the brewery.” A physician’s assistant by trade, Lou settled in Ahoskie with Brenda and their three daughters after retiring from the Coast Guard. He continued to work — and still works
at a local prison — while perfecting his hobby. After Lou won two blue ribbons at the N.C. State Fair for his bourbon-infused ale and lemongrass wheat beers, the family decided it was time to make the hobby into an actual profession. “This is very much a family business,” Lou says. “Everybody’s involved, from my mother, fatherin-law, kids and their spouses. We welcome folks in like we welcome them into our home.” The walls of the cafe are adorned
