Coffee & Guns: Fusion Marketing In Action

“Yeah, I’d like a grande oat milk latte with three ristretto shots, one pump of vanilla, half a pump of caramel and light foam. Please steam the milk to around 140 degrees and if you could top it with just a hint of cinnamon, that’d be perfect … oh, and I’ll take a Barrett Light 50, too.”

The above is a statement we would normally not hear in nature, but it’s entirely possible at .50 Cal Coffee & Desserts in Live Oak, Fla.

Enter, and you’ll see handsome tables and sumptuous chairs and couches — and guns, oh, so many guns. A .50-cal M2 machine gun sits on its tripod near the front door. On the wall is everything from a Thompson submachine gun to a squad automatic weapon. They are all realistic fakes, there for mood and decor only.

But as you walk deeper into the establishment, before you reach the large counter where an abundance of exotic coffees, fruit drinks, delicious desserts and light lunches can be had, there’s a kiosk. If a certain business owner is not there, all you’ll see is a heavy-duty roll-down steel wall. But if he is there, you’ll see the real guns.

When I was there, the array of products for sale was dominated by a massive Barrett Light 50 rifle. There are one or two token sporting guns, but the rest are state-of-the-art military and self-defense rifles, shotguns and handguns.

What led to this odd fusion of a mini-gun shop in a coffeehouse? Here’s the story.

Background

Felix Menjivar was born in El Salvador and came to the U.S. in 1983. He started ninth grade in San Francisco at a school expressly for non-English speaking students and immersed them in the language. Today he has no trace of accent.

Felix joined the U.S. Marine Corps out of high school in 1987, and in ’91, was in Desert Storm. He tried several occupations when he returned to civilian life. Finding himself in Yakima, Wash., he learned the sheriff’s office there had a reserve program. He applied, loved it and went to the full-time academy in 1998.

He advanced to detectives, then to narcotics at a time when meth was booming in Washington state. As time wore on, he burned out on law enforcement — but he would always maintain his love and respect for both the military and the domestic emergency services.

Fast-forward to 2022. Having moved to Pensacola, Fla., a few months before — seeking a warmer climate — he and his wife, Tammy, bought a house in Live Oak, Fla., that April. They were looking to work for themselves. 

Felix always liked the social interaction of coffee shops, and initial thoughts about a drive-thru gave way to a plan for a coffeehouse. Tammy had a nonprofit publication for children, “Kids’ News By Kids For Kids,” and they were looking for a building for its headquarters.

In this rustic town that could be described as “19th-century architecture with 19th-century values,” they found a two-story building built in 1906 and bought it. There were two apartments upstairs for family. They decided it would be a good place for a coffee shop. Tim Lemay, another dot-mil guy, did the interior.

Felicity, Faith & Firearms

A coffee shop is supposed to be a happy, relaxing place. Felix and Tammy do all they can to make .50 Cal Coffee & Desserts just that.

The place is very much Bible-themed. Felix told SI, “My wife is a very devout Christian. I got baptized 10 years ago. My 26-year-old daughter took me to church for that. Growing up Catholic, I had not been particularly religious. My wife walks the walk.” 

Tammy added, “We want this place to glorify the Lord, and be a place where people of faith are understood. People here pray for customers. The first night we were open, we had a depressed customer. We prayed over him, and he left in a much better state of mind.”

There are Bibles at every table and a bookcase with free Bibles for customers to take.

Tammy told us, “We have a lady who does massages: Phyllis is a nurse and a licensed masseuse. This is a place where someone stressed out can get a massage and a refreshing beverage. She charges $1 per minute for a professional massage.”

.50 Cal offers Christian karaoke every Saturday night from 7 to 11.

“Customers even bring guitars, and we get lots of people,” said Tammy, who noted their clientele doesn’t cluster into one or another particular denomination. 

When I visited, there was a plaque in the window that read, “C.O.F.F.E.E / Christ Offers Forgiveness For Everyone Everywhere.”

The religious theme does not seem to collide with the military theme. The owners’ faith was tested in the summer of 2024 when Hurricane Debby did tremendous damage to the town and almost destroyed .50 Cal. 

Felix relayed, “The shop opened May 17, 2024. Three months later, on August 8, Hurricane Debby came along. The shop was flooded 4′ deep. We had sandbags, but the bottom window of the front door had given way. Rebuilding took many weeks and cost $95,000. Fortunately, we had insurance. Flood insurance is expensive in this part of the country, but it paid itself off tenfold.”

The couple is planning to acquire flood barriers for next time. They now have storm shutters, too.

Not Your Standard “Dessert”

So, where did the guns come into the picture? 

Felix explained, “When we started opening all this, we thought about a gun shop, too. After the coffee shop opened, I got an FFL at another location. ATF made it easy; they were very helpful. I applied for a second license for this location. I have two Type Seven manufacturing FFLs; if I get a lot of inventory here, I can store it at home. After we reopened on Nov. 16, 2024, I added the ‘guns’ sign in the front window in mid-December.” 

The business is still primarily coffee and dessert. 

Felix said with a smile, “The guns are some of the desserts.” 

He added, “Almost all of our advertising is word of mouth. Coffee brings people in and they leave with a gun. Our income is 80% coffee and 20% guns and ammo.”

The coffeehouse named “.50 Cal” is an interesting fusion of personal interests shaped as a family business. So far, it’s working out quite well.

Read More of Shooting Industry’s May 2025 Issue Now