A local coffee spot with a message of sustainability is joining The District Exchange in Concord at 22 Union Street North, according to an Instagram announcement from The District Exchange in May. Crane Coffee will join the development later this summer, anchoring the second floor with a 2,000-square-foot space, owner Kris Zouzoulas told What Now Charlotte.
Crane Coffee already has two locations in Uptown Charlotte. However, when Zouzoulas moved to Concord with his wife, he was inspired to make Crane Coffee part of the community there.
“We wanted to be part of the community and embed ourselves in Concord,” Zouzoulas said. “We saw The District Exchange was opening and it was a small business incubator, and we wanted to be part of it and bring our coffee and sustainability mindset to Concord.”
The District Exchange will bring multiple micro-retail tenants under one roof. The community-oriented development has been lining up tenants prior to its opening this summer. Crane Coffee will join other tenants like Barley Jean’s Bakery, Decadence Popcorn and candy shop Life is Sweet.
“I’m really excited to be working with other people in the community and building a strong bond,” Zouzoulas said. “I like the fact that there are other businesses and that we can be anchored in that spot so we can collaborate.”
Crane Coffee’s Concord location will feature more than just coffee — it will also sell vintage clothing, books, records, local bagels and artisan pastries, allowing people to browse and shop as they enjoy their coffee. The space will have an indoor-outdoor lounge area and plenty of light, creating a bright atmosphere.
“We want it to be really open and have an interesting, peaceful, cozy experience where you can not just get coffee, but get other items like I mentioned earlier,” Zouzoulas said.
Moving forward, Zouzoulas views the Concord location as a “home base” for the brand, which he hopes to eventually expand to smaller locations around the Greater Charlotte area.
Ultimately, his goals tie back to their central mission of sustainability. All the ingredients Crane Coffee uses are ethically-sourced and organic. They also use cups, lids and straws sourced from plant material rather than single-use plastic. Zouzoulas plans to keep sustainability as the focus of what they do as they continue to expand.
“I want to educate about sustainability, since that’s our huge focus,” Zouzoulas said. “[We] want to educate people about zero waste, non-single-use plastics and knowing where their coffee is coming from.”
Crane Coffee is targeting a September 1 opening at The District Exchange.
