Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Archer.
Hi Eric, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Opening a coffee shop has been a dream of my wife, Victoria, and mine for over 5 years. Initially, the mission was to create a space where people of all kinds can come together in community, believing that nothing brings a diverse group of people together like coffee.
I’ve personally been a coffee lover my entire life with some of my earliest memories being having a cup of coffee with my mother and grandmother. However, once I became a young professional and began drinking multiple cups of coffee per day, I knew I needed to learn to enjoy black coffee. Because so much of the coffee I had to that point was unbearable black, it took me on a journey to educate myself on the craft of coffee and I came to discover there was so much more to coffee than what met the eye.
This led me to seek out high quality roasts, barista training and coffee shop consulting to ensure we provide high quality coffee that can be enjoyed any way a customer chooses to brew. Now, VIBEZ Coffee aims to both set a standard for great coffee in Columbia but also be a place where a diverse community of people can gather, be comfortable and be known. We say “Come for the Coffee, Stay for the VIBEZ” because we desire to be a place where productivity, creativity and community is fostered over an excellent cup of coffee.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to opening VIBEZ Coffee was certainly a challenging one. We actually identified our current location as our top option in 2021. It was already completely built out for a coffee shop due to a previous tenant that was forced to close during COVID so we believed it was the perfect opportunity. In fact, we had so much faith that it was where we were supposed to be that my mom moved from Cleveland, Ohio into an apartment above the business suite so that she could run the day to day operations of the shop. We applied to be its tenant, however, we were denied and the location was given to another applicant a few months later. This crushed our hope that we were cut out for this business.
Less than a year later, my mother passed away from cancer. This put the entire dream on hold and I personally lost motivation to continue. We were idle for more than three years before pursuing the opening of the shop again.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about VIBEZ Coffee?
VIBEZ Coffee has a little something for everyone. We offer classic espresso based beverages like cortado and cappuccino as well as more popular coffees like lattes and a caramel macchiato. We also offer matcha, teas, cocoa, fruit smoothies and more. But our excellent beverages are only half of the equation as we also boast almost 1900 square feet of seating space for customers to meet, work or relax. With high speed free WiFi and plenty of outlets, we’re built for people to spend all day with us.
One thing that really sets VIBEZ Coffee apart from other coffee shops in the Columbia area is its riverfront location. As our customers often observe, our shop feels like a serene escape from downtown Columbia with plenty of outdoor seating and scenic views in the Canalside courtyard. There is a peace and vibe (pun intended) that is perfect for productivity, and creativity.
Finally, we are people of faith and that is evident in our shop. While we want to be very clear that we desire to serve all people, we are unashamed in our belief that God granted us with this shop to be a beacon for love in Columbia.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We love to partner with and host various kinds of meetings, small groups and events. The best way to inquire is to email us directly at info@vibez.coffee to discuss details and availability.
Supporting us is as simple as tagging us in social media posts and offering reviews on Google and Yelp.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vibez.coffee
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/vibez.coffee
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/stay4thevibez
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vibez-coffee-columbia
- Other: https://order.dripos.com/vibez.coffee
