Welcome to The Coffee Shelf in Chapin, South Carolina

We’re excited to welcome The Coffee Shelf in Chapin, South Carolina to the growing community of independent coffee houses, cafés and bakeries that serve Crimson Cup beverages!

“I wanted to create a warm and relaxing setting for our community while combining my twin passion for books and coffee,” said Founder Jerry Caldwell. Coffee Shelf customers can page through the latest bestsellers, cookbooks, comic books and more while enjoying hot, iced and frozen espresso-based drinks, including lattes, mochas and cappuccinos. Fresh-baked muffins, pastries and cookies round out the menu.

Jerry retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 20 years as helicopter pilot. After working as a sales person in the aircraft industry for a number of years, he decided to take on the challenge of becoming his own boss.

He turned to Crimson Cup and our 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program to learn how to open his own independent coffee shop. Based on Greg’s book, Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry, the program provides everything new business owners need to open and operate a successful coffee house.

Jerry said he chose Crimson Cup because of our outstanding coffee and Friend2Farmer direct trade program, which supports small coffee farmers and their communities by paying a higher-than-market price for their coffee and investing in education and other initiatives. He plans to add brew bar features in the future so that the shop can offer hand-poured craft coffees from around the world.

In the weeks since The Coffee Shelf first opened its doors in April, it has become a fixture in the local community. “I want this to be a place where people go and remember they’ve been here,” Jerry said. An open seating area with plenty of chairs invites customers to sit and enjoy their favorite books and beverages. The Coffee Shelf also has space for book clubs and book-signing events, and Jerry plans to hold poetry slams and music nights.

Congrats to Jerry and The Coffee Shelf staff for a successful opening! We look forward to hearing great things about your progress in the future.