If you are a commuter student like me, finding coffee shops that cater to students outside of the N.C. State area can be somewhat of a challenge. Coffee shops outside of the inner-city area are few and far between. There are not a whole lot of options when it comes down to a decent place to do your homework with a cup of Joe.
Swift Creek Coffee House is a small, locally owned coffee shop in Garner that opened about two years ago. Vida Rollins, the store’s owner, has created a serene atmosphere organized with lively colors, ambient lighting and cozy chairs. There are books and newspapers available for anyone to catch up on their current events or relax with some prose. The shop entered as a fresh addition to a new shopping center and was a nice touch to the improvements in the community.
Matt Spivey, a barista, has been working in Swift Creek Coffee House for almost a year. “We like to reach out to the community and try to get our name out there”, Spivey said. “We bring in local bands — mostly acoustic-style stuff — and we do Wii Bowling on Tuesdays.”
As a customer myself, it is a great place to unwind after classes or start on some homework. I have ordered several of their coffee concoctions and have not been disappointed. You can relax to soothing music and enjoy specialties such as the Raspberry Cremosa or the Caramel Macchiato. The shop offers non-coffee beverages such as herbal tea, fresh fruit smoothies and hot apple cider. In addition to the coffee, the shop has an array of locally baked goods from an eclectic array of North Carolina bakeries. There are homemade cakes, cupcakes, or for a more healthy approach, Natural Whole Food Energy Bars.
“We use high quality ingredients and use popular suggestions as a base for the products we sell,” Spivey said. “Just recently people have been asking for deli sandwiches, so we will begin selling those soon.” The coffee house boasts a variety of syrups and proudly displays “Stockton Graham & Co.” coffee beans, which Spivey calls a, “highly favored espresso.”
The coffee is reasonably priced. A Cafe Latte costs just $2.65 for a short, $3.25 for a medium and $3.50 for a tall. With the economy making a slow recovery and unemployment rates hitting 10 percent, I find myself avoiding the $5.00 Venti White Mochas from Starbucks and heading to Swift Creek for the Café Mocha.
Sarah Bliss, a NCSU graduate student in public history and a local from Garner who visits Swift Creek about once or twice a month, said, “I love the coffee here. My favorite is the ‘Snicker Dandy.’ This would have been a great thing to have in high school as well; a good spot to hang out and do homework, plus it’s in a good proximity to N.C. State.”
