Christa Freeman, ’25, moved around a lot growing up. But what she wanted, more than anything, was to put down roots and build a community. Then, she moved to Flagstaff and became the owner of not one, but two, prominent cafés.
Juice Pub and Urban Pine are two of downtown Flagstaff’s beloved breakfast-and-lunch spots. While service is smooth and business is booming, the recent NAU School of Hotel and Restaurant Management grad has learned many lessons to get to where she is today.
Diving in headfirst
When Freeman took over Juice Pub, she had never held a manager position. She was an employee who fell in love with a café and took a giant leap, business plan in hand, when the owners decided to sell.
Stepping into the position, she found a business with real potential and clear gaps: customers walking out seeking a full breakfast, minimal marketing efforts, staff who weren’t connecting with guests. At first, she got on the schedule herself—washing dishes, taking orders, cooking food—to show her employees that this owner was not above the work. She expanded the menu, overhauled employee training, and cultivated an environment where staff knew customers—and their orders.
“I’ve been able to grow my business because my employees cultivate a great experience for our customers,” Freeman says.
With Juice Pub stabilized, she heard of another business up for grabs. Urban Pine was a chance to build something entirely her own, rather than inheriting someone else’s foundation.
“I wanted to show myself and others that it’s possible,” she says.
For Urban Pine’s soft opening, she invited her NAU professors to experience the restaurant, rather than friends and family—a testament to the faculty’s care and attention to their students.
“We got to serve them, and they gave me advice,” she says. “It was a great experience.”
The little things
Walk into either café and you’ll notice the pothos—low-maintenance plants sprawling across windowsills and hanging from macramé holders. Freeman propagates them herself, growing new plants from cuttings.
It’s these small details that make both spots stand out. The homemade salad dressings. A meatball sub so popular, it spawned a whole sub menu. The breakfast tacos and waffles that keep customers coming back for more. Her grandmother’s banana pudding recipe, made in a massive tub and sold out by the end of the day.
Of course, these havens are not without hiccups. Hiring, Freeman is quick to say, easily takes up most of her time, especially in a college town where turnover is constant. She also works hard to keep prices low while providing as much fresh produce as she can.
But through it all, Freeman has created two spaces that strive to make someone’s day a little better. Her roots are spreading.
