New Columbia coffee shop makes own botanical syrups. But you can get black coffee too
Francis Miller’s new coffee shop is deliberately trying to stand out from the crowd, but she doesn’t want plain black coffee fans to think they can’t find something to like.
“We’ll definitely have some weird drinks, but we’ll have basic coffee as well,” Miller said.
Miller owns Blum Coffee, which opens Saturday in Columbia. She promises Blum will be a “botanical-minded, modern coffee shop.” The shop’s signature will be syrups made from herbs grown on site, so guests can add some homemade lavender or other infusion to their drink.
Miller, a College of Charleston graduate from Raleigh, will also offer her own concoctions like a coffee soda — an espresso over seltzer water with the shop’s herbal syrup.
“We want our flavor profile to be a little different,” Miller said.
The shop will get its beans from Charleston-based Counter Culture Coffee, and baked goods from Ally & Eloise Bakeshop of Columbia.
Blum Coffee will be Miller’s first foray into the cafe business. She said she finished a master’s in revenue management at the College of Charleston in 2018. After that she was working at a Charleston hotel doing data entry when she decided to try something different.
“It seemed like everyone in the field was burnt out by the time they’re 30,” she said. “I decided I can do my own thing, and then I can always go back into data entry later.”
Blum Coffee will be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 1 and 2. Regular hours after this weekend will be from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekends. Blum Coffee is located at 2824 Devine St.
.jpg)