Gina Cordoba debuted Summit Grounds last summer, introducing a pop-up coffee concept that spotlights Colombian beans while building toward a future storefront.
The mission is now becoming reality, Cordoba told What Now Charleston, with a pilot program set to launch soon ahead of the opening of the Tracer Coffee Bar inside the Live Oak Hotel.
The Tracer Pilot Cafe Experience will open inside the Harbor Entrepreneur Center, featuring rotating coffees, flight tastings and limited drops.
“In order to get us ready for the coffee bar, we’re opening the pilot experience,” she said. “We’ll be testing and tweaking the menu. I’m excited about testing our ability to serve great coffee consistently. That’s the most important part of our team, being able to get experience before the actual menu. I’m very excited about the locals’ feedback.”
The team will operate both a fast bar for espresso-based drinks and a slow bar focused on pour-overs, while testing a range of coffee flights Cordoba plans to rotate quarterly.
The hotel coffee bar is expected to debut in the spring following the pilot program, serving specialty coffee creations and small bites.
“We’re planning on serving Colombian arepas. They’re made out of tough and have toppings. We’re also going to test a bread called pan de bono. It got voted one of the best breads in the world. It’s dough mixed with a lot of cheese–it’s very cheesy,” she said.
Cordoba said every cup of coffee is traceable to the farm where it is grown, setting the concept apart from competitors and helping customers connect with the people behind the product.
“We don’t have any middlemen between the farm and us. We handle the whole business from purchasing the beans, exporting the beans out of Colombia and roasting the beans locally here in Charleston,” Cordoba said.
She continued, “The most important part is that our beans come from farms that ensure that there is no childhood labor involved as well as fair wages and safe environmental practices. It makes us feel comfortable in providing our product to people and for people to know even their morning coffee is making a huge difference in the world.”
For coffee lovers curious about the beans’ origin, the roasting process or a more immersive experience than the usual “grab-and-go,” Cordoba is launching the Tracer Roaster Experience in Summerville, offering a behind-the-scenes look.
Coffee pop-ups return Tuesday through Thursday starting Jan. 26. Visit the Tracer Coffee website for updates on upcoming offerings.
