Exciting news, fam! We are thrilled to share that Sightsee is relocating to the corner of Rutledge and Cleveland, right across from Hampton Park, later this Spring. Learn more about our upcoming relocation here.
]]>We are thrilled to share that Sightsee is relocating to the corner of Rutledge and Cleveland, right across from Hampton Park, later this Spring. It’s a dream come true to become the anchor tenant in this beautiful historic building at the heart of our own neighborhood.
Our tiny, hidden gem of a space on Line Street was the perfect place for us to start: we’ve weathered the pandemic here, learned and iterated and improved (as a business and as people), hosted countless events, and made lifelong connections with our community. We have faced practically every hurdle imaginable and accomplished A LOT in 475 square feet. But it is time for an evolution.
The thing is, attributes like “tiny,” and “hidden gem,” are charming, but they also make it challenging for us to grow into something that doesn’t just survive, but thrives. To be totally transparent, in 2023 we realized we would either need to close Sightsee in 2024, or move to a location that would allow us to grow. We are so grateful the stars aligned and it’s the latter, because there is so much more we’ve yet to accomplish.
We can’t wait to welcome y’all into Sightsee 2.0, and we’ll keep you posted as soon as we have an official opening date. In the meantime, we hope you’ll continue to come see us on Line Street – we are so grateful for your continued support to help us keep pushing forward these next few months.
PS…here are answers to a few FAQs:
Mark your calendars: the Sightsee Holiday Market is returning to Line Street on Sunday, December 10th from 10am-2pm!
]]>We’ll have a slew of incredible vendors set up in Elliotborough Park for all of your holiday gifting needs, including:
In addition to all of these amazing local brands, we’ll be hosting a pop-up art show + sale with Savannah-based folk artist & muralist, Panhandle Slim!
As always, we’ll have some of our favorite food vendors providing delicious shopping sustenance, and our very own Carlo Milan will be DJ'ing from our VW bus! We hope to see you there!
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Join us this Sunday for Wanderlust: Argentina, a Sightsee + Jai Eats collaborative pop-up celebrating creativity and culture.
The event will feature a photography show by Jai Jones aka @jaieats, showcasing his vibrant captures of city life in Buenos Aires and the lush landscapes of Bariloche, with prints and limited framed pieces available for sale!
Plus, enjoy classic Argentinian alfajores and empanadas from two of our favorite local Argentinian chefs, Diego's Empanadas and SuMi Bakery. Your ticket to South America awaits you, 10am-1pm this Sunday at Sightsee. See you there?
About the Show
Last October, myself and 8 friends took two weeks to explore the 8th largest country in the world, Argentina. It was my first time in South America, and I was constantly inspired by the vibrant colors and street life during our time in Buenos Aires, and the serene and lush landscapes of Bariloche. These are some of those moments through my eyes of the country- from the food, to the corner stores, graffiti tagged buildings and vast landscapes. All shot on Fujifilm.
About Jai Jones
Jai is the creator, writer, and photographer behind Jai Eats, where he delivers social and digital content that highlights crave-worthy food and beverage experiences as well as the inspiring people behind them. Jai has written for and been featured in Garden & Gun Magazine, Resy, The Infatuation, The Post & Courier, Charleston Wine + Food, Today Food, and Eater, among many others. His authentic passion for the culinary industry expands beyond Jai Eats, as Jai also serves on the inaugural Board of Directors for Pay It Forward Charleston, a nonprofit dedicated to providing emergency assistance to members of the Lowcountry F&B community.
]]>Please be sure to share this information with family and friends in South Carolina so they know where and how to vote!!
Early Voting: Early voting is happening NOW until November 3, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (weekdays only). Early voting is super quick and easy. Early voting locations for the tri-county area include:
Charleston County:
Dorchester County:
Berkeley County:
Don't miss out on the fun all month long!
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We echo Coastal Conservation League’s sentiment that “the currently proposed plan fails to meet the standards set by the City, the Ports Authority, and the people of Charleston for a world-class waterfront that is seamlessly integrated with the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Organizations including Coastal Conservation League, the Preservation Society, the Historic Foundation of Charleston, Charleston Moves, and more have all expressed significant concern with the current developer-led plan. In fact, Charleston was placed on the 11 Most Endangered Places list by the National Trust for Historic Preservation due to the threat of incompatible development at Union Pier.
This is a monumental project that will forever change the Charleston peninsula, and it should be completed in a way that reflects the needs of our community – a community that is already faced with challenges like overdevelopment, flooding, lack of affordable housing, and connected transit. We urge the developers and the City to create a plan that will:
We also urge the City to slow down this planning process, as there have not been enough opportunities for public comment thus far.
You can submit written comment or sign up to speak at the June 7th public meeting by NOON on June 6th at this link (select the June 7th Planning Commission Meeting in the dropdown):
http://innovate.charleston-sc.gov/comments/
You can find additional public input points via the Coastal Conservation League and via Charleston Moves.
]]>We'll be set up with Olive our beloved VW Bus serving coffee on both Saturday and Sunday - even if some of us have slipped away to catch a show or two...
The lineup is better than ever and now the coffee will be too! See you out there!
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This collaboration is about much more than just designing some cool bags…although the bags are really f’ing cool. It’s a celebration of friendship, of growth and evolution, of the community that’s there for us through all the highs and lows.
We’ve been there since the early days of both of our brands (in fact, Joel was J. Stark’s first online customer and the J. Stark shop on Cannon St. was the home of Sightsee’s first popups), through gangbuster holiday seasons and “oh shit how are we gonna pay our bills” months; through big personal moments (weddings! baby!) and tough personal losses. It’s safe to say that the four of us wouldn’t be here without each other.
It’s our hope that these bags, just like our friendship, will (literally) help carry you through life’s many adventures – that they’ll be part of special milestones or a bright spot on an otherwise bummer day.
Shop the super special Sentinel Backpack and the Beachwood Tote and let us know where they take you!
]]>Coffee history is Black history. Coffee’s future should be a Black future. We’re excited to honor Black History Month this year through a month-long collaboration with Cxffeeblack!
]]>We’re excited to honor Black History Month this year through a month-long collaboration with Cxffeeblack. You may remember when we featured their coffee on pour over back in 2020, but this month will be something like we’ve never done before – a full coffee bar takeover featuring their Guji Mane coffee on drip and espresso! Guji Mane is Cxffeeblack’s signature coffee, a natural process coffee from the Guji Zone of Oromia in Ethiopia, brought to you by an all Black supply chain from crop to roast.
Founded by Bartholomew Jones and Renata Henderson in Memphis, TN, Cxffeeblack is a social enterprise on a mission to reclaim the black history of coffee and reimagine its black future.
The coffee crop and the rituals and community that accompany it all originated in Africa, specifically Ethiopia and Sudan. Yet, the industry has largely been whitewashed for centuries - especially in the United States.
Cxffeeblack was born when Jones started wondering: “What would happen if cxffeeculture loved people of color as much as it loved their cash crops?” “What if we cared for and celebrated single-origin people as much as we celebrated single-origin coffee?”
As he describes it, “Cxffeeblack is a social experiment interested in exploring the impact people can have when they are empowered to live with no sugar and no cream. It’s a hip-hop cypher over a cup of probably overpriced coffee between the people who grew it, the people who roasted it, and the people who consume it daily.”
Through their all-Black coffee supply chain, events and trainings at the Anti-Gentrification Cxffee Club, Black to Africa documentary film, music, products, and more, Cxffeeblack is creating a cultural shift toward an industry that honors the rich Black history of coffee and creates space to celebrate and empower Black coffee producers, professionals, and enthusiasts in America and beyond.
We are excited to help share their vision in Charleston. Stay tuned throughout the month of February for how you can experience Cxffeeblack at Sightsee, and be sure to follow their work on Instagram.
You can also check out featured interviews with Cxffeeblack in NPR, Fast Company, Coolhunting, VICE, and more. ]]>We're so excited to kick off our 2023 pop-up lineup with the BEST. POP-UP. EVER. This epic event brings together some of Food & Wine and Charleston City Paper's best in the business for one day only.
Join us on Saturday, January 21st from 10am-1pm for:
Brunch by Mansueta's Filipino Food, named Food & Wine’s Best Filipino Food in South Carolina, and a recent Food Network Chopped Champion!
Coffee by Brandywine Coffee Roasters, our specialty roasting partner and Food & Wine’s Best Coffee Roaster in Delaware.
Vibes and hospitality by yours truly, Food & Wine’s Best Coffee Shop in South Carolina!
A Tiny Bus Concert by DJ Moldybrain, Charleston City Paper Music Awards DJ of the Year!
It takes a lot of hard work (and blood, sweat, and tears) to be recognized as some of the best in the country -- we hope you can make it to celebrate these achievements with us!
]]>Your monthly Sightsee Vibe Check is back with Issue #3! From spooky to groovy to civically-minded, this month's picks have a little something for everyone. (Vibe) check ‘em all out, and let us know what you’ve been up to, as well! We love getting responses to this email with your recs on new things for us to read, watch, listen to, and do.
READING
WATCHING
LISTENING TO
DOING
That's what the Sightsee crew is up to these days. Stay tuned for a guaranteed fresh Issue #4 of Vibe Check coming next month and until then, hit us up with any recommendations of your own!
]]>Mid-term elections are on Tuesday, November 8th from 7am-7pm. With so many of our rights at stake in this year's election, voting is more critical than ever. Check out our helpful voting resources to make your voting plan in advance!
]]>As you likely know, upcoming mid-term elections are on Tuesday, November 8th from 7am-7pm. With so many of our rights at stake in this year's election, voting is more critical than ever. From School Board seats to US Senate races, the folks elected will have a direct impact on our daily lives and our children's futures.
We've done our best to roundup some important voting information in the hopes that this helps you create your voting plan! **The following information is for Charleston County residents only.**
Check Your Polling Location: Click here to check your polling location if you're planning to vote in-person on November 8th. Several polling locations have changed since the last election, so make sure you know where to go: https://www.scvotes.gov/
Early Voting in Person. Early voting is available October 24 to November 5, 8:30AM to 6:00PM (all days except Sunday). Early voting is just like regular election day voting (you show up with your ID and vote on the same machine you would on Election Day), but it is usually quicker, and the location may be different than your regular polling location. Find the polling location closest to you here: https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/bevr/early-voting.php
View a Sample Ballot: In Charleston, this election not only includes major races like Governor and House, but candidates for School Board, Probate Judge, and more. Download your sample ballot ahead of time so you know where candidates stand and which way you plan to vote -- this saves you time at the polling place and helps cut down on lines and wait times for other voters! Click here to find your sample ballot.
Learn About the Roles on Your Ballot: What does the SC Secretary of State or your local School Board even do? Take a look at this helpful, nonpartisan Local Voter Guide by Be The Ones, which explains the impact these state and local-level officials (many of which are on this year's ballots) have on your rights.
Not in Charleston County or want more info on absentee voting by mail, polling location hours, and more? Check out this super helpful 2020 South Carolina Voter guide by League of Women Voters.
Access & Share Voting Resources: Go to https://www.vote411.org/ to learn more about candidates and races on your ballot. This is a great resource with voting information for every single state, so feel free to share with friends and family who are not Charleston voters!
]]>WATCHING
LISTENING TO
DOING
Welp, that's the vibe around here these days. Stay tuned for a guaranteed fresh Issue #3 of Vibe Check coming next month and until then, hit us up with any recommendations of your own!
Welp, that's the vibe around here these days. Sign up for our newsletter to get Issue 2 of Vibe Check delivered straight to your inbox and until then, hit us up with any recommendations of your own!
]]>Our fifth installment of the Sightsee Summer playlist is officially here! Press play for an eclectic selection of upbeat tunes to help you float through summer.
]]>Introducing “Feel the Vibe or Unsubscribe”: a new mantra at Sightsee that goes out everyone who is unabashedly themselves regardless of what anyone else thinks.
]]>From the pandemic to civil rights to political upheaval, the past few years have revealed everyone’s true colors and forced each of us to better understand ourselves. That has certainly been true at Sightsee. We’re more tuned in to who we are, what we value, and what we want to create.
Part of that entails the “good vibes” that might come to mind when you think of Sightsee: Coffee. Surfing. Palm trees. Travel. We’ve always wanted Sightsee to exude adventure and curiosity and fun.
But another big part of that includes our own human experience behind this business – our desire for progress, our care for the community around us, and the impact we hope to make. Simply put: we’ve come to recognize that we aren’t interested in keeping our values quiet for folks who are “just here for the coffee.”
So we are vocal about mental health. Racial justice. Women’s rights. LGBTQ+ rights. We introduce you to an incredible coffee roaster one day and ask you to call your council person the next. We share a groovy playlist and then loudly denounce white supremacy. It’s a lot – trust us, we know.
If you’re not here for it, no problem. Best wishes. But those of you who do feel the vibe – when it’s good, vulnerable, challenging, and everything in-between – you are our people.
So if you’ve also learned a thing or two about your own unique, ever-evolving “vibe” and no longer have time for the demands or expectations of others…then let ‘em unsubscribe, too.
Do you. Find your ride or dies. Feel the vibe or unsubscribe. Wear it on your new favorite t-shirt and carry it with you proudly.
]]>We were incredibly honored to be named South Carolina's best coffee shop by Food & Wine Magazine!
]]>We could not have gotten this recognition without our local roaster, Springbok Coffee, and the nearly 40 talented roasters from around the country we've have the pleasure of featuring so far. And, of course, nothing is possible without our amazing team, their passion for the craft of coffee, and the welcoming experience they help to create at Sightsee day after day.
We've included an excerpt from the brilliant article by David Landsel below, as well as the feature on Sightsee. Be sure to click here to read the full list - there are so many wonderful shops you'll want to check out on your travels!
The Best Coffee Shops in Every State
"And so, the perfect coffee shop—what, exactly, does that look like? Let's start with perfect coffee, or something like it; they will be brewing the best (and pulling the best shots) in the near, or not-so-near vicinity, this is exceptionally important. Aesthetics and environment are key, but not nearly as important—from Fargo, North Dakota, to the depths of the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, one might safely say that we've now grasped modern coffee shop design. Truly great coffee, however—that's still incredibly hard to find.
While an in-house roasting program isn't essential, one of the most positive trends during the last two years is how many shops have gone this route, very often with exciting results; equally hopeful were the number of new (or improved) multi-roaster cafes, who source, optimally anyway, from a rotating list of top talent, either in their area, or from all over the world, and sometimes even both. A shop that didn't fall into either category would have had a lot harder time breaking through—no knock on any number of wonderful places I visited during my travels, but rather a statement of just how high the bar has lately been raised. I'm happy to tell you that even with the challenges of the past two years, nearly all of the shops you will read about on this list were visited by me; in a few cases, where time was a factor, we felt confident relying on trusted industry experts for their opinions. For a couple more, I knew from experience that nothing had come along since my last visit to unseat a past pick.
South Carolina
Pop quiz—which is the best coffee town in South Carolina? In the recent past, the answer has definitely not been Charleston. Cafes, places to hang out all day, surely, but Greenville and even Columbia have long been more serious about the craft, something that was distinctly missing from too many of Charleston's best spaces. Joel Sadler and Allyson Sutton have been plugging away at building their perfect shop for a few years now, moving from an occasional pop-up to their diminutive, extremely charming home back in 2019; today, Sightsee, far off the tourist trail, draws in-the-know locals to a small, but fully-realized operation. Claim a chair, a bit of pavement, and eavesdrop on the gossip, while enjoying some of the most careful drinks in town—made, if you're lucky, with South Carolina's best coffee (Methodical, in Greenville)."
]]>Read below to learn:
Use the information and script below to inform your comments.
Business Improvement Districts nearly without exception cause:
In order to prevent irreversible negative impact from the King Street Business Improvement District, Charleston City Council needs to demand critical modifications to the current proposal.
The following is a sample letter to your city council person. Public comment will need to be shorter, probably about 30-seconds worth in length.
Include an intro pulling from the above What You Need to Know as you see fit
As a Charleston resident (and/or business owner if applicable), I am deeply concerned about the sweeping impact the King Street BID will have on our community. I oppose the creation of the BID as currently defined and demand of the city at a minimum the following stipulations to mitigate against collateral damage:
Thank you for your continued prioritization of the entire Charleston community over the interests of tourists and developers.
Sincerely,
Your name, of course
]]>Tune into the Sightsee Cold Summer Playlist Vol. 4 to get your year off to a groovy start.
]]>We hope you had the chance to enjoy each of these incredible coffees. Not only did we love serving them, but we gained so much inspiration and knowledge from the roasters and green buyers who made these coffees possible. Be sure to watch (or re-watch) our Instagram Live chats with these wonderful folks from the past year!
]]>We hope to see you there!
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