Greenville, S.C.is known for being the foodie destination of the South, but maybe it should be known for this coffee shop tucked in the heart of downtown.
Taking a bite of my roasted almond coconut macaroon, I leaned back into my chair watching the coffee goers filter in and out of the glass storefront.
Listening to the upbeat sound of Lorde coming from an old record player behind the counter, I took a sip of my cold coffee cocktail and watched as the baristas crafted their latte art on a canvas of espresso and steamed milk.
As the scent of a fresh pour over filled the shop, the distant clink of blue willow glasses could be heard in the back as remnants of a well-enjoyed coffee experience.
This is how coffee should be done. This is Methodical.
Tucked in the heart of downtown, Methodical Coffee offers a unique experience focusing on elevated coffee culture.
The owners, David Baker, Will Shurtz and Marco Suarez all had a similar vision for their coffee shop before their dream became a reality Feb. 11, 2015.
Suarez described Methodical’s atmosphere in two words – “humble sophistication.”
“The sophisticated part is that we are trying to elevate the perception of coffee to be like wine. We don’t have syrups and don’t do a lot of your typical coffee shop stuff because we see coffee as a very refined thing. It’s simple in the way you brew it, but it has a lot of complexity at the same time,” said Suarez.
Suarez said the humble part of the concept comes from the friendliness and hospitality from the baristas, which is evident in the way they welcome their guests and have fun with one another.
In fact, the shop’s name reflects their concept and views on the quality of its product.
“We hold coffee to a higher degree than other coffee shops. There is a science and art behind what we do, and ‘methodical’ is the best word that communicated that,” said Suarez.
Methodical is a multi-roaster shop, which means that every two weeks, they have different coffees and usually offer about three different roasters at a time.
Suarez stated, “When we get a coffee in, we spend about a day trying to find its peak flavor.”
The shop offers different ways to enjoy the coffee, whether it’s in the form of espresso with steamed milk, a pour over or the shop’s signature drink.
“We have a drink called the flora. We make a vanilla bean syrup and we add it to the grapefruit juice. After it sits about 12 hours, we strain it and put it in a cocktail shaker and then into a coupe glass and add sparkling water to it,” said Shurtz, describing Methodical’s current signature beverage.
The most popular drink item is the six ounce espresso with milk, which can be accompanied by the most popular food item, the Nisu, a Finish bread made with cardamom.
Not only does Methodical serve high quality coffee, they serve their drinks in unique blue willow china.
“I learned a ton about blue willow trying to source these cups. I grew up with my mom having a bunch of them. That’s where I got the inspiration. I always thought they were the ugliest dishes and now I think they’re pretty cool,” Suarez said.
Not only are the antique dishes a design statement in the coffee shop, they were chosen for a purpose.
Suarez said, “The biggest thing is we purposely design Instagram-able moments. People take pictures of our coffee and we want people to know where it’s from.”
Serving coffee in the blue willow dishes allows people to instantly recognize where the coffee is from on social media.
Methodical Coffee even has their own Instagram and Twitter account. You can follow them on Instagram as @methodicalcoffee and on twitter as @Methodical_SC.
Featured on their social media photos is employee Chloe King. King has been a part of the crew from the beginning and is responsible for the training it takes to be a barista.
“It’s been one of the best job experiences I’ve ever had. The people are like my family. I come here and feel like I’m actually coming home. It feels like I’m just hanging out with my friends all day. We’re making people happy and it’s nice,” said King.
The friendship among the baristas and owners is apparent in the way they work with one another and cater to their customers.
Suarez said he’s learned a lot in opening Methodical, including the value of having other people and their support.
“It’s a lot easier to do things with other people than it is by yourself. There’s no way I would have been able to do this by myself,” Suarez stated.
Giving advice to any future Methodical Coffee goers, Suarez said, “Come with an open mind. People will often times compare us to a Starbucks shop and we’re not. Don’t have any preconceived ideas of what you might find here.”
Methodical Coffee is a one of a kind coffee experience. Check it out and let your next caffeine buzz come from a blue willow coffee cup.
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