COLUMBIA, S.C. — Coffee lovers will soon have a new way to get their caffeine fix when Clutch Coffee Bar opens three locations in the Columbia area.
Clutch CEO and co-founder Darren Spicer said the company is in the permitting and planning phases for these locations:
- 306 Columbia Ave. in Lexington, scheduled to open in November
- 4716 Devine St. in Columbia, should be breaking ground in the next few weeks and is scheduled to open in late January/early February
- 926 Harden St. in Five Points, the former Rise bakery location, opening in late February
The coffee shops will be drive-thru operations with no indoor seating, although Spicer said the Devine Street location would have a walk-up patio.
In addition to great coffee, customer experience is the trademark for Clutch, Spicer said. A runner working outside on the line will take the customer's order, and the person at the drive-through window will engage with the customer once the order is complete. The time it takes to go through the drive-thru should be about one minute per car.
Spicer says what sets Clutch apart from other coffee businesses is focusing on a high-quality product -- Clutch works with an award-winning coffee bean roaster south of Seattle -- at an affordable price.
Along with the drinks menu, Clutch will offer 12-ounce bags of whole bean or ground coffee, and the company has a subscription service for diehard fans.
Spicer said, collectively, the founders of Clutch have been in the drive-thru business for over 20 years. The Mooresville, North Carolina-based company feels it has a responsibility to teach life skills to its employees and to give back to the community and sees itself as a people-centric brand.
The Clutch menu features the typical coffee beverages -- available hot, iced, or frozen -- as well as energy drinks, real fruit smoothies, shakes, teas, and fruit juices.
Spicer said, depending on his mood, he'll either order his coffee with two shots of espresso, vanilla, and cream or -- for something a little less intense -- the Muscle Mocha, a signature chocolate protein shake infused with two shots of espresso.
