In a town where college students often drift between crowded bars or cozy coffee shops, one local business is blending both worlds with intention, innovation and a little bit of wild spirit.

Lost Forest Coffee House and Pub officially opened its doors in Carbondale on July 14, offering a unique hybrid space where espresso meets craft cocktails, and board games share the floor with bar stools. It’s nestled inside a completely refurbished space, formerly the Artistic Minds tattoo parlor building. Now owned by two local business owners, J.P. Beyler and Brody McCauley, the former tattoo parlor has a new twist.

“We just wanted something we’d actually want to hang out in,” said Beyler, who also co-runs Artistic Minds. “We’ve both owned other businesses, but this was about building a spot with soul. Not a dive bar. Not too upper class. Just something in the middle; fun, friendly, intentional.”

The concept began as a vision of community and evolved into a space where people can sip craft lattes while doing homework, unwind with cocktails infused with fresh ingredients, or join a late-night Scrabble tournament. Between the custom-built wooden bar top, sourced from a local lumber yard, and the reclaimed materials used throughout the interior, Lost Forest is as much about sustainability as it is about aesthetic.

“We tried to use as much repurposed material as possible,” McCauley said. “Even the bar woods were recycled from the old shop. It’s our way of embracing the Southern Illinois vibe.”

From coffee to bloodies

The drink menu balances comfort and creativity. Popular items include the Beekeeper latte, the rich S’mores latte, and a Strawberry Sunrise lemonade that’s already winning over patrons. Cold Blooded Coffee, a locally roasted brand based in Murphysboro, supplies many of the coffee beans making Lost Forest one of only two locations in town to carry it.

For cocktail lovers, the house-made Bloody Mary mix stands out.

“We don’t do pre-mix,” Beyler said. “It’s all fresh. It tastes like a country version, brighter, more real.”

The bar plans to expand into food service within the next month or two. The tentative menu includes a variety of breakfast and lunch offerings: waffles, biscuits, muffins, charcuterie plates, and eventually venison kebabs.

“We want to embrace the local palate but also push people to try new things,” Beyler said. “A lot of folks here haven’t had deer, and it’s really good meat.”

A space that feels like home

Lost Forest gets its name from the owners’ vision of what once was.

“At one point, this whole area was probably just trees,” Beyler said. “It’s like a ghost of what used to be here before us. I’m a big nature person, and the name just… stuck.”

Though the name evokes something distant, the space feels immediately welcoming. The team includes three baristas, three bartenders, and a support staff that’s been described as “really fun, really solid.” And with plans for a beer garden in the parking lot and acoustic nights in the works, the community aspect continues to grow.

Already, Lost Forest is offering a 10% military discount and plans to introduce special deals for students, educators, and health care workers. There’s also talk of speed dating nights, game tournaments, and drink clubs for women who just want to gather, sip, and laugh.

‘We just want to do good’

This may be the duo’s first joint venture into the bar and restaurant world, but their intentions are clear.

“It’s been really fun, even when it’s been hard,” Beyler said, referencing setbacks like rusted pipes and doubled renovation costs. “We’re too stubborn to stop. We just want to give the community a place that feels relaxing, comfortable. Where the drinks are good, the food will be good, and people feel like they belong.”

In a city that thrives on rhythm, change and tight-knit community, Lost Forest Coffee House and Pub is carving out a space that’s just wild enough to work and just grounded enough to feel like home.

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