Start the Day with the Dogs

At the Big Pups Coffee Company trailer on Oak Island, handcrafted lattes, free pup cups and canine charm have helped owner Sydney Fox build a loyal following.

Oak Island resident and native Sydney Fox, 26, was tired of working in law enforcement, an oftentimes mentally demanding job. So, she decided to take the leap to pursue her passions for coffee and dogs, opening Big Pups Coffee Company in May of 2025.

She did not anticipate how fast she would meet success.

“I bartended and also did this for a good two, three months before I eventually got so busy that I was like, ‘I need to focus all of my attention on Big Pups,’” she says.

Fox’s soft opening in May 2025 was pretty laid-back, but then once summer hit, it was difficult to keep up with the demands of running a business that exploded in popularity so fast. This is Fox’s first business, and she is running it alongside her fiancé, Brian Woods, 43, who focuses on the finance side of things.

More than a year in, Big Pups is still going strong, and Fox says she’s got regulars who have visited every single day since they opened.

“This is everything,” she says. “I come here in the mornings and I go home and immediately start working on stuff for the next day.”

Big Pups Coffee Company operates out of a trailer in the Dairy Queen parking lot on E. Oak Island Drive.

Fox pays monthly rent and runs the social media accounts for the Dairy Queen in exchange for being able to do business there. She says she likes the flexibility that comes with a trailer, as the business can be transported to various events. But she also likes being at Dairy Queen since it’s a central location on the island and in walking distance from the beach.

The menu consists of coffee and espresso drinks, teas, chai, matcha and fruity Sprite refreshers. Fox creates every single menu item, including the Barkista’s Specials, which are named after dogs in her life.

“I try to make it aesthetically pleasing for people who like to take pictures and stuff like that, but also make sure it tastes good,” she says.

Fox’s favorite drink on the menu is the Mighty Moose, a latte flavored with peanut butter and chocolate.

It’s named after her six-year-old Great Dane, who also happens to be the mascot of Big Pups, with his face appearing on their shirts and logo. Moose happened to be at the trailer with Fox and Woods the day I visited, and I can confirm he is a gentle giant and a good boy.

Standing next to Moose was Fox and Woods’ four-year-old Great Pyrenees, Apollo, who also has a drink named after him on the menu. He was just as gentle and good as his older brother.

“My dogs are my everything, and Moose is my soul pup, I tell people,” Fox says. “So, it was really easy just to create an entire brand around dogs because who doesn’t love dogs and coffee?”

Big Pups connects with the Oak Island dog community by doing a Pup of the Month special drink every month.

Customers can nominate their dog by scanning a QR code at the trailer, which will enter the dog in a raffle of sorts where the winner is chosen at random. Dogs that visit the trailer with their owners can also get a pup cup for free. For example, one month’s special was The Dreamy Derek, a banana and caramel latte topped with caramel cold foam and caramel drizzle.

“Derek comes in every single day with his owner and puts his feet up, grabs his pup cup and then he goes back to his car,” Fox says.

Fox loves socializing with everyone who comes to the trailer, saying it reminds her why she left her secure job to pursue her passions.

“I enjoy getting to talk to people on their good days, where in law enforcement, you talk to people on their worst days,” she says. “Not only was I carrying my mental stuff, I was also helping others, and this one is like, people are happy when they come here. So, it’s a great thing; another side of humanity.”
If you love dogs and coffee, Big Pups is the spot for you.

SIT. STAY. SIP
Big Pups Coffee Company
5701 E. Oak Island Drive, Oak Island
bigpupscoffeecompany.com
Regular Hours of Operation: Monday and Tuesday 7 to 11 am; Wednesday through Sunday 7 am to 12 pm