Washington Cafe, Community, And Culture w/ Peter Washington

You can feel it when a business is built on purpose and the Washington Cafe is exactly that. Mike Compton sits down with Peter Washington, a Lowcountry native who left for the DC and Baltimore area, built a corporate IT career (including PayPal and Happy Returns), then came back home and decided Mount Pleasant needed more than just another place to grab caffeine. What started with a ribbon cutting and a warm welcome quickly turned into neighborhood momentum, daily regulars, and a clear mission: create a space that feels like community, not just commerce. 

We talk through the real origin story, from landing the physical space near Highway 17 North to learning the craft behind quality coffee through Counter Culture Coffee’s tasting program. Peter shares how he thinks about consistency, partnerships that keep ownership in your hands, and why “the right people” matter as much as the right product. Then we get into the fun part: tea sourced through Donna Tea, specialty drinks like the Washington Fizz, matcha, hibiscus, and refreshers designed for a South Carolina summer. 

The conversation also goes beyond the cup. Peter explains how he curates local art to spotlight up-and-coming artists, why the cafe doubles as a mini gallery, and how his food program leans into memory and tradition with pastries and breakfast sandwiches from local baker Christina Miller. If you care about Mount Pleasant small business, Charleston coffee culture, or how to build a community-focused cafe with real personality, you’ll leave with ideas you can use. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves great coffee, and leave a review telling us your go-to cafe order.

This is a grounded guide for founders, contractors, agency owners, manufacturers, and service leaders across Charleston and beyond who want a no-nonsense path to an exit. We share red flags that can sink deals, the role of local market knowledge, and how Viking’s success-based model aligns incentives. Join us, get practical next steps, and walk away knowing exactly how to make your future sale smoother.
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Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce

Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions

Episode Sponsor: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions

Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪Pollen Social‬

Production Sponsor: RMBO.co

Design Sponsor: DK Design

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Committee:
Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre
Mike Compton | Co-host | Podcast Committee | RMBO.co
Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director 
Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | MPCC Marketing & Communications
Benjamin Nesvold | Co-host | MPCC President | Edward Jones

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Welcome to the Building Business Podcast, powered by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, brought to you by the Charleston Media Solutions Studios. I am Mike Thompson, RMBO.co, uh President Roombo and ex-marketing chair for the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. I'm here today with a very special guest. They're all special, but this one's very special because he keeps us caffeinated. We've got Peter Washington in the house. Say hello, Peter. Hey, hey, how y'all doing? Real good. And we also have your publicist in the house. Say hello, Ashley.

SPEAKER_03 1:37

Hi. I'm Ashley Hay Mitchell with Haystack Media. Thrilled to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

Haystack Media. All right, cool. Well, good to meet you. I can't wait to learn more about Haystack. But today, we are talking about the Washington Cafe. The uh the chamber just had a what what do we had a ribbon cutting there?

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Yes. How did that go? Ribbon cutting. It was amazing. It was shocking to me because I know I was joining the Mount Pleasant Chambers when uh she told me that y'all were coming for the ribbon cutting. I was like, oh, it's gonna

Welcome And Meet The Guests

SPEAKER_00 2:07

be nice, breezy. Yeah. It was like boom.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Did we come with the heat?

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Came in with the heat. Like I did a speech. It was beautiful. You guys were very like welcoming. Um after you guys welcomed me into Mount Pleasant, I started getting more people that live in the neighborhood to come and uh support. So now I have like regulars that come almost every single day.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

When did you open the doors?

SPEAKER_00 2:32

Um I opened the doors back in November and uh we did the ribbon cutting a few months ago. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

I want I I want to talk about the cafe shortly, but I want to talk about you first, Peter. Yes. Um where are you from? Um actually from Clemens Ferry. What? Born and raised. Um I went to Canhard for a couple of years. Okay. Elementary school. And then after middle school, I went to Dutchester District. Okay. My aunt lived on Dutchester uh district. I went to Oak Brook. Um I was gonna go to Fort Dutchester, but I ended up saying, nah, I think I want to bring it back. So I end up going to Hannahan. Oh, alright. Um graduated from Hannahan in 03. Um, I'm a descendant actually of Philip Simmons. So if I was in high school, nah, I'd be at Philip Simmons. So that's crazy. Yeah, so we still have our property on Clemens Ferry, and uh I live on Clemens Ferry. In 06, I moved to the DMV area for college. Um I thought I would never come back. Uh-huh. But during the pandemic, I feel like it woke me up. Um, I started coming home more and I saw like all the changes that was going on in Charleston. What year was this? Um this was around 2020 during the pandemic. Yeah, you said

Ribbon Cutting And Early Momentum

SPEAKER_00 3:48

pandemic, yep. Yep. Um so I said, you know what? Let me just start going home more and start positioning myself to enjoy where I came from. Yeah. So I started going out by myself and I would make sure I come home at least once a month. And one day I was in Mexico for New Year's. My friends then were going back to Charleston, they dropped me off. Something just hit me, said it's time to move back home. And I just slammed the trunk down. I looked at my friends and I was like, I think I'm gonna be home in a month or so.

SPEAKER_01 4:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

And within a month and a half, I moved back home from the big city of DC. Uh-huh. Having the most fun.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Were you having the most fun in DC though?

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Amazing. Okay. Amazing. I believe you. I believe you. Between DC and Baltimore. And I came to Charles and I was like, it's time for me to What were you doing in DC though? Were you were you a coffee shop owner there too? No, no, no. Um, actually, I work for corporate America. Um I got a job with uh PayPal working at IT. Um, I went into the happy return side of PayPal, which is called Happy Returns. Um, we got sold by PayPal to UPS, and we're remote as well. Um, we work with big retailer stores like Sheen, uh Gap, Skims. Okay. Uh we work on that side of the uh returns. So I pretty much do IT work on that end. So been there, done that, yeah, did the corporate thing.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

Uh still doing it. Still doing the corporate thing. All right, right on. That's okay. Hey, so many different hustles around here. Everybody's got revenue sources, man, for days. It's great.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

Yes, so still doing it. Hustle

Peter’s Roots And Coming Home

SPEAKER_00 5:23

likes to hustle, yeah. Yes, yes. So um, yeah, I'm back. Um I live on my parents' property. Love it. They love it. Okay. Um your parents are still around?

SPEAKER_03 5:34

Not just your parents.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Yes, actually.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

Um I do want to talk about this whole Philip Simmons descendant thing you got going on. That's really neat. I grew up with some of that property. I'm a community right now. So I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Yeah, yes, yes, yes. So my great-grandmother uh bought the property and we live in a culture sack. Okay, right on the marsh. Um, the only thing that splits us from Daniel Island is the marsh. Oh. Um, we live off of Victoria Road, which uh that's my great-grandmother's name, Victoria. So if you she's she's spicy. So also. Yes, yes. Our church is right there. My great-grandparents is buried behind the church of intercession. It's right on uh the first Clement Ferry exit. If you look to the right, it's the church. Now it's a white church. Okay. Um they look like they're bowling some condos by it as well. Like it's clearing it off. So yes, so um, yeah, so I joined church. So I'm back in the community. Yes. I'm back back. And they're happy. Their arms are. Everybody is happy.

SPEAKER_03 6:38

Um it's aunts, uncles, cousins.

SPEAKER_00 6:40

Aunts, uncles, cousins, granny. Granny lives in the middle, and aunts and uncles live, we live all around each other. I love that. My family's in Michigan, so you know, it's a bit of a travel.

SPEAKER_01 6:51

So that's that's a whole different how does that uh experience make Charleston so unique for you?

SPEAKER_00 6:57

You know, I had to leave to really grasp how how I felt and how blessed I was to have this. Um when I moved to Baltimore and DC, I was like, wow. I you know, I got a lot of friends who say they don't have like family property to go back home to or just someplace to go back to. So I had to take in consideration of that and enjoy that. We got a beach right there and we're right by water. And I was like, wow, I'm really blessed. So Did you miss water in DC? Yeah, yes, yes, yes. We that's the that's probably about the only thing I really you know, my family, of course, but yes, um, I missed it. But I came back and I said, you know what, I can make my own fun, and that's when I started going out by myself. Um I went to coffee tasting, and this particular coffee tasting I went to is called counterculture. That's when I got the space in Mount Pleasant. Okay. And I went in there by myself, and the only seat was left was by Ashley. Okay. Right by Ashley Fast friends. Yeah, fast friends, and I just got in there and just started talking to people, just getting to know them. Okay. And what did you find out? Uh what I found out, we got a lot in common. You know, um, Ashley goes way back with my cousins. Stop. Yes, at Charleston Place. Um, my cousin was in HR at Charleston Place, and I know Ashley.

SPEAKER_03 8:27

So Yeah, we worked together 15 years ago or so. So yeah, and we um we share a love of coffee, we share a love of quality coffee.

SPEAKER_02 8:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 8:36

Um and Counterculture has um a beautiful program every Friday morning at 10 a.m. where they do a coffee tasting. Yes, and they do a different blend of coffee every Friday. So we became uh regulars together.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Whereas this we don't want to hype too much uh somebody else's coffee shop, but we're we're a cumbaya around here.

SPEAKER_03 8:55

So they're they're the best. Yes, yes, yes, uh Spring

Corporate IT Life And The Move Back

SPEAKER_03 8:58

Street downtown. Okay, 85 and a half Spring Street.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 9:02

Um, and they are Peter's coffee provider. Yay!

SPEAKER_01 9:05

So yeah. Okay, we can pimp them up then. All right, let's go. Let's go.

SPEAKER_03 9:10

Yeah, it's a beautiful partnership. Love that.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

So that's downtown.

SPEAKER_00 9:13

But you started your shop in Mount Pleasant, big old Mount Pleasant off uh uh 17 north by eight mile. Okay, yes, okay next to the Garden of Prayer Church. I'm right there in the yellow building on the second level. You're not far from me. I'm about 41.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

So I'm all the way north 41. Yes, um, so I can't wait to pop in there. Absolutely. Uh I saw I'm sorry, I haven't done so yet. I missed the ribbon cutting. That's okay. Um, but I heard it was a success. Yes. It was a party. It was a party. You did miss it. No, the chamber loves the throw parties. That's what we do well. Um, that in connection. So, okay. You're you're you're at the corporate ladder, you're you're back on grandma's property, you're you you're you're you know living life, right? Mount Pleasant, you're figuring it out. Figuring it out culture, what is it called? Counterculture. Counterculture. You figured out counterculture, you found them, you saw Ashley, and you're like, I need to start a Washington cafe.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Well, I had the space already. Oh, yeah. Talk about that. How you used to call them. I um I was a member of the um oh gosh, what's well I was at a uh workspace where you can work out or from town. Yeah. And I saw my cousin in there. This was before me even meeting Ashley.

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

Um, or even signing the lease for the space. I was like, wow, why we don't have a community space, a coffee spot, and Mont Pleasant? And my cousin looked at me like, I don't know. I was like, why everything is downtown? Yeah. My cousin looked at me like, I don't know. Open up one and walked off. She had to go to a meeting. So I was like, huh. So I was like, boom, my dad called me and I was like, my dad was like, hey, I'm at um, it's a little uh spot, I don't know, you know where the bridge is at right now, the little bar, the bridge. It was a food spot before the bridge. Oh, okay. Um it was uh it was a well it's right on Clement's Ferry. So we went to our little favorite spot.

SPEAKER_02 11:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:14

And I told my dad, I was like, it's crazy, we don't have a community coffee and art spot. And my dad was like, well, open up one. Hold up, let me make a phone call. Called his friend, his best friend. You you still got this space? Come on. Yes, yes. And literally, I went to go look at the space a few days later, and a week later after that, I sounded delise. Aha! And uh what's good about that space also is that um

Finding Counter Culture And A Network

SPEAKER_00 11:43

I think it's uh the Montpleasant Mayor, part of it was his campaign office. Oh, smart. Yes, yes. Yeah. So part of it was his uh campaign office. Yes, yeah, he is, he is. Um part of it was his uh campaign office, and I pretty much took my time and I started looking for coffee uh venues, and I saw something said counterculture tasting at 10. Okay. And I just went there on a whim, and I was like, let me I was nervous because I was late, and as soon as I got in, everybody was looking at me, and I'm like, oh, hey. And uh the young lady Audrey was talking about the coffee, and she came and gave me a coffee, and I took a sip of it. I was like, wow, this is good. This is real good. And then I heard her saying partnership, and I was like, uh no, I don't want to do no partnership, I want to do this, you know, on right. Yeah. No, she said the partnership consists of hey, we will help you get the coffee shop set up. It's not like we do any type of ownership. You're using our coffee beans, we'll uh educate you on the coffee machines, um, showing you the right coffee uh blends to make as well. So it was a fun educational uh tracking of it. So I said, you know what? The first test is let me make sure Audrey and Ashley are good people. Um I have my aunt, who is my aunt Stella, who's my favorite on, and I took Anstella to coffee, tasting at 10. And Anstella lives on the property with us too. Stella is hard, hardcore. Yeah. She's Audrey Anstella knows. Yeah, and she knows what she likes. Yes, and she was like, oh no, though, they they're good people. Oh, and I was like, oh okay. We passed this Ancella test. Yes, pass the Ancella test.

SPEAKER_03 13:34

Which is a tough test, to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Yes,

Landing The Space And The Big Why

SPEAKER_00 13:35

the toughest to pass. Yes. And um, I exchanged numbers with Audrey, and we just went rolling. Like she invited me to her crew, Ashley invited me to her crew, introducing me to everybody in the hospitality industry, um, even people uh over in Park Circle. I didn't know Park Circle had you know grown that much. Very good culture over there. Yes, yes, yes. Um, you know, it was just very welcoming and warm. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

So we just got the ball. So now you got a partner, you got a space. Yes. You got a partner. Yes. Yes. What's next? What's next?

SPEAKER_03 14:11

Tea.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

Tea. Okay. Yes. I love tea. I'm a big tea guy. We did a tea hunt. We did a tea hunt. Okay. We ended up in Brooklyn. In Brooklyn for the yes, we ended up in Brooklyn two weeks before we opened, maybe.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

That sounds like some hard tea right there. I kind of want some of that Brooklyn tea.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Oh, Donna T is amazing. Okay. Um, Donna T has Lee Bes, matcha, different types of teas. All right. Chai tea.

SPEAKER_03 14:41

Yeah, I like their Earl Grain chai.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

It's amazing. So I was like, oh, I have to get them in the shop. Um, the sales guy, uh, come to find out, he's from South Carolina.

SPEAKER_03 14:52

Hampton.

SPEAKER_00 14:53

Hampton. Yes. Right there.

SPEAKER_03 14:55

Very South Carolina name.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

Yeah. And Hampton's like, wait. Oh, Hampton's the guy's name. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 15:01

In Brooklyn. In Brooklyn. With the South Carolina dude.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

South Carolina dude. And come to find out, he did a uh paper in grad school on my dad about the Charleston 5 with Long Sherman.

Coffee Setup And The Aunt Stella Test

SPEAKER_00 15:15

Whoa. Yes, yep, yep, yep, yep. So it was all like a good like connection. So yes, so Hampton, um, we connected on that. Uh yeah, they they set me up real nice.

SPEAKER_01 15:29

So you had all these, you see, you got you got your space, you got your coffee, you got your tea. When did you did you open up? Like when and then and then when did the you have art in there now too? Or did you open up with all this? Or is it a phased it was a phase.

SPEAKER_00 15:43

Uh okay, good. Actually, uh, I had a soft opening for my birthday. So I invited all my friends from the DMV area here, new friends, and we just had a celebration at my space before I even opened. Bye-bye. So I was like, let's test it out, let's just see. Yeah. That was a party. And it was a party, we had a DJ. Okay. It was like a coffee party, if you ask me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:08

Which is kind of a thing in the DC area. It's a like a day party. Like you can like we walked into a couple coffee shops and it was like the vibe was bumping. People were like on their computers working, having a little coffee, but it felt like it felt almost like an evening thing here. Okay. But it it was 11 a.m.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Is it 11 a.m.? Is that what we're doing in Washington Cafe? Is that the vibe? Are we are we bumping?

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Absolutely. We're gonna be doing that pretty soon.

SPEAKER_03 16:34

Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, it's growing toward that.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

Growing towards that.

SPEAKER_03 16:38

The food program is is great too.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We're feeding people now, too? Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

I didn't Okay, you got a kitchen in there?

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Not a kitchen. Okay. Uh it's a grab and go. Um, but I wanted it to be more like uh food that I remember when I was a young kid. Uh my mom does a sweet potato pie, and I couldn't find the right person that got it just like my mom until I met Christina Miller, and she does uh burts and teas. And Christina Miller, she does all my pastries. She does the sweet potato pie, uh the Charleston Chewry, my breakfast sandwiches as well. Oh, you got a breakfast sandwich.

SPEAKER_03 17:17

Breakfast sandwich is fire. It's fire.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Yes. Yes, I gotta go tomorrow morning. What time are you opening? Oh, we open at 7 a.m. Okay. So we're yeah, 7 a.m. to 3.0.

SPEAKER_03 17:26

It's like a spicy, like a jalapeno cheddar something. It's got my name all over it.

Tea Sourcing And A Wild Brooklyn Connection

SPEAKER_03 17:32

Yeah, Christina um is of Gala Geechee descent and she uses a lot of historically significant ingredients. Um, and so it's just like a match made in heaven, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

You're curating all this, personally curating all these in their local flavors too. Brooklyn tea, that's fine. That's that's fine. Heavy little heart, that's fine. Uh but but this pastry chef again, her name is Christina Miller. And she's from here. Yes, or lives here now.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Yep, she's from her dad.

SPEAKER_03 17:58

She's generationally from here. Yep, really?

SPEAKER_00 18:00

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:01

And y'all's families have crossover, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:03

Absolutely. Uh her dad and my dad work long shower. God bless you. Yep, yep. Wow. My dad know her family. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

That's amazing. Yeah. I love that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:12

Everything feels very intentional. Intentional.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

Yes, yep, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:17

Why is that important?

SPEAKER_00 18:19

Because I wanted to I wanted to have that warm feeling and that welcoming feeling. And I wanted to make sure I worked with the right people that was on the same wavelength as me. So I wanted to make sure everything was authentic, consistent, and to the point. And also uh community and culture as well. So I just wanted all that to just blend in because I I have like younger cousins who look at my Instagram and uh Facebook and they're thinking I don't work. And I'm like, I got to have fun, I gotta work. So I I wanted to I want to bring them into my world. So I wanted uh coffee space of how I lived in the DMV year, which I love art, I love culture, I love community, um, I love home, and I love family, and that's what I wanted to bring.

SPEAKER_03 19:17

It's a lot of work, but it comes across really effortless.

SPEAKER_01 19:20

That's why, yeah, especially on Instagram. Everything is effortless on Instagram, right? Uh but there's a ton of phone calls and emails and podcast recordings and lots of behind-the-scenes stuff that nobody really sees.

Soft Opening Vibes And Food Program

SPEAKER_01 19:29

Yes. What about the art? So, how did you find these artists? Are they local? What is what's going on there?

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Yes. So, um And why?

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Who who I'm drinking coffee.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Right, right. Um, living in uh Baltimore, I grew a love for art. Okay. And um I live right by one of the biggest art schools called Micah, and they have an art festival called Artscape in Baltimore. And I'm like, whoa, there's like major artists out here because I'm seeing like big time people, celebrities coming in, purchasing, and leaving out. Coming into Baltimore. And I saw a lot of these artists, I saw a trend where a lot of these artists would graduate or local artists in Baltimore would get signed by these big art companies and would like move on to major places. And I was like, oh, let me start collecting. So I started going to some of these art shows and I started collecting some of these artists' art and I started hanging them up in uh in my place. And then I was like, hmm, it'll be dope if I can have an art gallery. I always thought about that, just like an art gallery or a fun place to have artwork. And I'm like, I always

Local Pastries With Gullah Geechee Roots

SPEAKER_00 20:42

go to a coffee shop, so let's mix both of them together. Yeah. So I moved home and I said, let me step into the art scene in Charleston and see what's going on. And Ashley was able to connect me with the right people like at Rudux. And I started, you know, going to the African American Museum. I met Aaron Drummer along the way as well. I started meeting local artists that's in Charleston who don't get the right recognition, but they are talented. So I like to work with the up-and-coming artists who don't get the recognition and got talented work. So I like to just see them gradually get up as well. Oh, that's what it's all about. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:23

Yep. Supporting the art community. Supporting the art community. Yes. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 21:27

Uh Mount Pleasant needs more of that. Yes. Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

And I get so excited when I meet an artist from Mount Pleasant, and I'm like, yo, show me, come show me your artwork.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

How do you find a new artist then? How do you find these up and comings? And Ashley's on it?

SPEAKER_00 21:43

No, uh actually, Ashley on one hand, and then it's me who go to like some of these art events. Yeah. It's a lot of locally art events that is going on in Park Circle. Um, of course, Rudocks downtown. I met a couple of artists that's from Montpleasant, and their work is in the shop as well, and two of hers got sold, by the way. Nice. Yeah, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:04

Um, so that's you know, Peter employs a barista who's in artists.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

Yes, I employ a barista who's an artist as well, and she's local. Um, Natalie.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Shout out to Natalie.

SPEAKER_00 22:14

Shout out to Natalie, she's holding it down at the shop right now.

Intentional Community Building Through The Cafe

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Well, thanks, Natalie, for doing that.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

We've got Peter here. Yes. Uh doing the marketing thing. Yes. So what's next for the Washington Cafe? I mean, I feel like you're the type of guy that keeps bettering the everything that you uh do.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

I don't know, I just met you, but that's kind of the vibe I'm getting. What's next? What's next? All right. Um, I think we're gonna we're gonna have a Juneteenth event tomorrow. Oh. Um, it's from 6 to 9 p.m. We're gonna have a DJ. It's gonna be like a That's gonna be a party. Yeah, like a cookout type vibe, like coffee, tea, specialty drinks. Um, we're gonna have Gabby uh cooking. Gabby is from Charleston as well. Um, she's gonna do like small plates as well.

SPEAKER_03 23:00

Um Gabby Smith, her company is grits and gabs. Yeah. She is like a beautiful young woman who is so so incredibly talented. Um and she's gonna be cooking I have the menu.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

That's cool. No, you know, but we're this is gonna air for another m next month. So we'll hold back on the menu.

SPEAKER_03 23:20

You all miss the party if you didn't come. Well check it out.

SPEAKER_01 23:23

Check it out for next year. Yes. You know, there's always 2027.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Yeah, and we we always have events. Uh yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's the dot com? Um it's www.thewashingtoncafe.com. And our Instagram is at the Washington Cafe S C. And TikTok is at the Washington Cafe uh SC as well. What are they gonna find on your website? Well, they're gonna find right now, they're just gonna find now hiring. Yeah. Now hiring on there as well. But if you go to my beautiful picture of a latte. A latte

Art Curation And Supporting Local Artists

SPEAKER_00 23:58

art is beautiful. Uh pictures from the soft opening and the grand open end. Are you gonna be able to sell any coffee or at the at the shop? Yeah, or no, online. Oh, yes, we're gonna eventually get to that as well. Yes, yes, yes. We're gonna definitely get eventually to it. So, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 24:17

Are you uh brewing these this coffee? Is it are you helping with the flavor profile with any of this? Are you creating a Washington cafe bean?

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Well, no, not yet. But you know, I'm hoping that will come down the line. But I love counterculture.

SPEAKER_03 24:34

It's yeah, there's a couple different flavors, right?

SPEAKER_00 24:36

Yeah, you kind of curated your own flavors. Yeah, uh the Washington Fizz.

SPEAKER_03 24:40

Yeah, the Washington Fizz.

SPEAKER_00 24:42

What's that? It's a tonic and uh concentrated coffee with strawberry syrup in it, and it's an ice fizz. It's like a nice fizz drink.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

I've never heard of that before. Concentrated coffee?

SPEAKER_00 24:55

Yeah, it's like uh it's almost like a espresso liquid that's in it. Awesome. Yep, yep. So it's almost like um espresso with tonic.

SPEAKER_03 25:04

It's a bubbly, fizzy, fruity coffee drink.

SPEAKER_00 25:08

So it's very refreshing in this refreshing summer heat. No kidding. Yeah. And then I have a nice iced hibiscus uh tea. Oh, and a refresher with uh sorre uh hibiscus syrup in it. Sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

Yeah, so it's pretty good. Tomorrow morning. Yeah, I'm gonna open up the shop with you. Come on, probably not. I'll probably be a little later.

SPEAKER_03 25:34

Peter's got your caffeine.

SPEAKER_01 25:37

The arts, the culture, the drinks, and the snacks. The snacks, yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

And free Wi-Fi, you can work from there. You can just chill out and vibe out. Yeah. And uh, we got good matcha, coal foam, all that good stuff.

SPEAKER_03 25:51

That's good.

SPEAKER_00 25:52

I got y'all, I got y'all covered.

SPEAKER_03 25:54

All right.

SPEAKER_01 25:55

Hey, maybe uh if you say that you heard the episode

Events, Specials, And Where To Find Them

SPEAKER_01 25:57

from the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Building Business Podcast, you might be able to watch maybe uh You can get a 10% off.

SPEAKER_00 26:07

You definitely can get a 10% off.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

I love putting orders on the spot. You get what do you get? Yes, you get a little 10% off? You heard the building business podcast.

SPEAKER_00 26:19

And also we have like teachers and students get 10% off as well. Military, I'm sure. Yes, military, yes. Yes, because we have some veterans in the community as well. Absolutely. Uh so that's great.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

Yes. Well, thanks for your time and sharing your story with us, Peter. Thank you. Thank you. Ashley, you did great too.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

Yeah, yeah, and you're doing all the a lot of the heavy lifting I see over there too, right?

SPEAKER_03 26:41

Like I don't know about that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:42

Oh, oh, Peter's laughing. Maybe not.

SPEAKER_00 26:44

This is good. No, no, no, this is good.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

Yeah, yeah, it was uh it was great to get to know you. Um, and thank you for helping him out and and his mission. Um and uh I mean, yeah, the whole Phillip Simmons thing is really cool.

SPEAKER_00 26:59

Like I'm just as an outsider looking in. Yeah, he's he's older than my grandma, but my grandma remembered him. It's crazy. And yes, cousins. Yes, no kidding. No kidding.

SPEAKER_01 27:11

You you never know who you're gonna meet around here in Mount Pleasant. So yeah, there's so many cool people.

Signature Drinks, Discounts, And Wrap Up

SPEAKER_01 27:15

That's why I wanted the start of this podcast is to meet people like you. So definitely. Thanks for your time. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 27:22

It's great getting to chat with you a little bit and getting to know what y'all do.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

Yeah, yeah. We're all about supporting community, so we've got a lot of things in common too. Absolutely. Absolutely. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 27:32

Clint glasses with a cup of coffee and we're gonna do that.

SPEAKER_01 27:35

We're gonna do that hopefully tomorrow. We'll see. We'll see. Hey, hey y'all, uh, thanks again to Peter and Ashley for hanging out with me. This is the Building Business Podcast, sponsored by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, and brought to you by the Charleston Media Solutions. Shout out to the Viking Mergers and Acquisitions for being our sponsor uh for this episode, and uh thank you to the listeners. Well, thank Emily, thank Matt, thank all the crew here too. Talk to you soon, folks. Peace out.