Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dana Lowie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
In the early 1990’s: Dana Lowie (me) and Steve Taylor vacationed in Seattle. That incurable “coffee bug” is hard to see, yet easy to feel. It took a big bite, so we brought it back home. Like many visitors to the coffee capital of the US, we set out on a quest to bring Seattle-style coffee to Greenville.
December 31, 1992 – First Night Festival
…we opened an outside coffee cart named Pony Espresso, within Piazza Bergamo, located just across the street from us now. The chilled New Year’s Eve crowd wanted hot chocolate & mochas. Friends and family, 9 in all, took turns making frantic trips to the nearby grocery for more milk. After that jump into the fire, Steve operated the cart during the weekday mornings while working evenings at the local newspaper. Dana continued as a graphic artist for a small downtown firm and teamed up with Steve on Friday and Saturday evenings at Pony Espresso. We met many new friends & learned a lot about coffee along the way.
Wheels Were Spinning
The next step was to find a permanent indoor location. Dana and Steve shared their dream with a fellow cyclist, Cathy Anderson, who wanted to open a retail bakery, so the three created a plan. We found a great location at the corner of Main St. & Coffee St, in the underground level of the Cauble Building.
Within the next year and a half, the three of us researched, negotiated, planned and got advice. We designed, built, painted, stocked, got inspections, hired & trained. Of the many business name ideas, the very first, Coffee Underground, won out. Then, the time had come!
May 1, 1995:
Coffee Underground opened the doors to a lively crowd. Luckily it was just the right time, as Greenville craved this new option to the bar scene. As you entered, you saw the existing cozy seating area. We had a tiny hidden kitchen where a lot of action took place. We named an adjacent room “the gallery” and local artists filled the walls. The third room was transformed into a theater, where Jeff Sumerel directed live improv shows & screened independent films.
Over the Years:
After about a year, Cathy decided to pursue other business ventures, so the two of us continued operating and perfecting CU. We expanded the menu by adding beer, wine and cocktails as well as more food. In order to manage the crowd inside, we began table service in the evenings. A few years later, Steve took off to the Big Apple, then moved to Paris, where he lived with wife, Cynthia and son Perry until they moved back to the States several years ago. It was a little daunting at first to go it alone. Along with the dedicated staff (especially Krystina), we found a rhythm and stuck with it.
In 2000, I purchased the 3600 SF where CU still sits. For the next 2 years, we had a second location (CU2) in the newly rennovated Poinsett Hotel, yet the timing just did not work out. In 2005, we decided to begin roasting our own coffee beans. Until that point, we had purchased freshly roasted coffees from West End Coffee. In 2008, we grew underground by acquiring an adjacent unit, and now have a big kitchen and more seating in our cozy Red Room. We expanded our food menu and added Sunday brunch service. Smooth sailing for a long while, then the bug to expand came crawling around. In 2018, we opened Coffee on Stone and World Piece Pizza on Stone Avenue. We enjoyed (and endured) these businesses for 5 years. After making it through Covid, we finally decided that it is best to stay focused on our mothership, Coffee Underground.
So I am the last of the original three owners. The CU Team and I continue to successfully operate CU. One of the most important ingredients in our success is the CU staff members! Then, of course, great coffee and great experiences.
Dana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
We are a locally-owned and operated coffee shop and cafe located in Downtown Greenville SC. Hot Coffee…Cool Vibe! is our catch-phrase. Our atmosphere is unique since we are literally underground, at basement level. Our ceilings are low with exposed beams and soft lighting, which makes for a cozy experience.
Our business consists of 4 rooms, one of which is a theater performance room. The weekly schedule consists of Open Mic Comedy, Alchemy Improv Comedy, Poetry Open Mic and Slams, then random movies and other performances.
Our in-house roasted coffees are delicious and fresh. We roast to a medium roast level and brew the coffee strong. The espresso blend is smooth for sipping yet bold enough to make tasty lattes. We offer 12 varieties of coffees from around the world. Our coffee menu consists of traditional espresso and cappuccinos, many specialty flavored lattes, iced coffee bevs and a signature black tiger espresso milkshake. Then, top it off with a hot coffee cordial (think Irish Coffee) or a tasty espresso martini.
For those who are not in the mood for coffee, we offer teas, smoothies, shakes, beer, wine and cocktails. Yum!
Our food menu offers many tastes, from all-day breakfast, to sandwiches, salads, burgers and appetizers. We make it all from scratch and we don’t skimp on quality ingredients.
To top it off, we make our desserts in-house. What goes better with a good cup of coffee than a piece of famous strawberry cake, or one of our specialty cheesecakes (Turtle, NY, Mocha, Pumpkin) or Peanutbutter Pie?!
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
Since day one, we have made our food from scratch, from the chicken and tuna salads, to our desserts baked in-house. We are known for our Strawberry Cake, which is a real process to make. We make at least six cakes per week. We also make our cheesecakes and peanutbutter pies, so our ovens are busy! Several staff members have been expertly trained to explicitly follow our secret recipes and produce such tasty treats.
In 2005, we purchased a coffee roasting machine and began roasting our beans in-house. We placed it into the back half of our theater room. It works out time-wise, because we roast during the day and the shows happen at night. The equipment company offered extensive training, but it never stops their. Constant research is helpful as coffee beans change from year to year and crop to crop.
We source our green coffee beans from a boutique importer located in Charleston, SC. Our roast-master is Josh T, who is a long-time employee and integral to our business. We “profile roast”, in which the roast level is based on the specific taste and aroma profiles of the beans from different areas throughout the world. So, the roast level usually does not exceed “city roast level”, then we brew the coffee strong. We do not serve/sell burnt coffee! Our espresso is a blend of four different beans, each lending its own attribute to the finished espresso brew. Our espresso is smooth, which is great for just sipping, and hold up well in a latte as well.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Our location, being at basement level, gives us a cozy, unique atmosphere. The ceilings are low and has exposed beams, which allows for good acoustics. While you can hear the hum of activity, it is easy to carry on intimate conversations. We have been here since 1995, therefore becoming a staple of Downtown Gvl. We strive to offer consistency of service and product. We are grateful for our regular customers, and welcome the out of town visitors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coffeeunderground.info
- Instagram: coffee.underground
- Facebook: coffeeunderground
