New to Martin but not new to the area, Higher Ground Coffee Company opened Aug. 2 in Martin’s newest shopping center.
“We wanted to create a good atmosphere for people just to be able to come, hang out and be comfortable,” Owner Kevin Herrell said.
Higher Ground is a full service specialty coffee shop that originally opened in Union City in Dec. 2007. The newest shop is located at 147 Commons Drive in Martin inside the new E.W. James. Herrellsaid that being in E.W. James seemed like “the right fit at the right time.”
“Being in E.W. James is a huge deal for us, it is a great opportunity for Higher Ground. If it hadn’t been for this setup, I’m not sure if we would be [in Martin,]” Herrell said.
The idea behind the coffee shop is that it is “a great place to be.” This is a phrase that can be seen in several places around the shop.
“This is a great place to be, that [idea] came from a book called ‘The Third Place’; it’s about a place that isn’t work and isn’t home, but is a place that people could just come and hang out,” Herrell said.
Higher Ground hopes to be a place where students can hang out and get away from campus. The shop offers a convenient drive-thru window for coffee drinkers on the go. Higher Ground offers something that not too many other shops can; every bean they serve in house is locally roasted by Herrell himself.
“We would love to be a comfortable place for [students] to come hang out and do whatever they need to get off campus,” Manager KimFowlkes said.
The shop offers free Wi-Fi and has a large patio area to enjoy. Higher Ground hopes to offer live entertainment featuring local artists.
“There is a lot of talent in the area, we’ve had several at the Union City store,” Herrell said.
Higher Ground’s official grand opening will be held Wed. Aug 7 and will offer a full day of events. The shop is hoping to offer live music, free samplings and giveaways.
The store is open Monday-Saturday from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. and they are open on Sundays as well.
“It’s about getting to know your customers and creating a relationship with them where they feel like they belong somewhere, which ultimately comes back to being a great place to be,” Fowlkes said.
