STEVE STEINER
It wasn’t even 9 a.m., and already a line was just about to form out the door at Colleton Coffee by Twig, which was hosting its grand opening this past Saturday, March 25.
The café, housed in what once was a shoe store, was filled with happy chatter by people who appeared to not mind standing in the lengthy line, while practically every table was occupied at the moment.
In-between filling orders, one of the two owners, Mandy Burdick, was able to briefly mention what was taking place.
“This is our grand opening,” she said. However, the café had already been open for business earlier, during a “soft” opening. “We’ve been open three weeks.”
With that, she and employee Kaylin Bishop resumed fulfilling patron orders while her sister and business partner, Jessica Burdick, ran the register, assisted by another employee, Caroline Mock.
Among the patrons already seated and enjoying their beverages was Fred Thomas II.
“I come here at least once a week, sometimes twice a week,” said Thomas II. He mentioned the reasons he enjoys his stay. “When you walk into this place, it’s warm, friendly.”
But it’s the little things that bring him back, he said, particularly the genuine warmth of Colleton Coffee. People know him and greet him, not just the owners and employees, but other patrons.
“People greet you. They talk to you. They say hi to each other,” he said. It’s a far cry from what it was like when he lived in Virginia. “It’s not like Starbucks, where people are either on their cell phones or laptops.”
He said Colleton Coffee is a true reflection of Walterboro, where he moved to recently, to be closer to family. He’s glad he made the move, and he is happy a place such as Colleton Coffee exists.
As for his favorite, he enjoys the 20-ounce size and usually has it flavored with hazelnut.
“But today it’s Irish Crème,” he said, as he took a sip and smiled. “What I appreciate is that the quality of the coffee is consistent.” Unlike other places, where the quality often fluctuates depending upon who is doing the brewing, Thomas said the coffee at Colleton Coffee has always been great.
At the table next to him was Samantha Calcutt, also a regular. With her were her parents, Drew and Vonda. Saturday was their first time.
Several weeks ago, Samantha had been bemoaning the lack of a coffeehouse in downtown Walterboro.
“It was kind of funny. I was hoping they would open one downtown,” said Samantha Calcutt. She was hoping to find a place where she and her friends could come to and relax and socialize, as well as do their college studies. She expressed only one concern. “I wish this place was bigger.”
As for her parents, Drew said that having a coffeeshop downtown is in line with his philosophy, which is businesses helping one another; he owns Low Country Surgical Associates. Vonda is an endocrinologist with Low Country Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology.
CATCHING ONE’S BREATH
It was nearing closing time when Mandy and Jessica Burdick finally were able to sit down and enjoy their own “coffee break” and reflect upon how everything has been since their soft opening three weeks ago, and what prompted them to open up their coffee shop, which they now run in addition to their other downtown business, Twig, which has been in business five years.
“The town used to have a coffee shop, but it closed down,” said Mandy.
“I’d say about three years ago,” Jessica said. She added that people would come into Twig and bemoan the lack of a coffeeshop. Approximately a year ago the two of them decided to open a coffee shop, although neither had no knowledge or experience in food service and hospitality.
However, they had the support of family and friends, and a trust in God, who has always been there for them.
This is not to say the path was smooth or easy. The first hurdle faced was finding a location.
“It took about six months to find this location,” said Jessica. “It seemed every time we’d find something, by the time we called we were told the place had just been rented.” Other locales just weren’t conducive to being made into a coffeeshop. Then they succeeded.
“We asked the landlord what he was going to do with it and he said, ‘I’m going to rent it out,’” said Mandy. Not too long after the deal was struck, in part, because he was pleased to learn it would be a coffeeshop housed in what formerly was Davis Shoes, and after that, an event venue.
RESPONSE OVERWHELMING
From the very start, business has been busy, not just this past Saturday’s grand opening. In fact, said Mandy, even though she and Jessica didn’t even announce their soft opening, people just kept (no pun intended) pouring in. The grand opening was no exception. The patrons who have been coming in from the start were there in force for the grand opening.
“They were phenomenal,” said Mandy. “We’ve had so many loyal customers show up today.”
The sisters even had a couple from Ohio come in.
“We joked with them that they even came all the way from Ohio just so they could be here today,” Jessica said, with a laugh. “They played along with us on that.”
Now that the two of them have both Twig and Colleton Coffee by Twig, it’s going to be interesting how they will arrange their work schedules. Both agree they have wonderful people working with and for them, but there is one special element they feel will keep things going smoothly.
“We’re sisters and we love working together,” said Mandy.
WANT TO GO?
252 E. Washington St., Hours of operation:, Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
