Celine Griffin grew up just down the road from what would one day become her business. What was once a farmhouse turned art studio is now the bustling Third Place Coffee House.
A quaint white building with picnic tables scattered across the lawn, and an interior that can only be described as pure whimsy, Third Place offers a unique coffee option in the middle of a Greer suburb. Griffin opened the cafe this past spring, but her roots in the property run much deeper.
“My sister took art classes here, so a lot of my roots are in this area,” Griffin said. “I know I can speak for so many kids growing up when I say driving past this place was always like nose pressed to the window of the minivan, [wondering], ‘What is in there?’”
The building used to be an art studio. When Griffin and her husband bought it, they had to repaint everything — even the ceilings — but they kept one strip of the painted wall intact.
The Griffin’s kept one strip of painted wall in the coffee shop.
Griffin's passion for coffee began in high school, when she got a job at Village Grind in Greenville.
“I realized it was a job that really encompassed me. I've always been a social butterfly,” said Griffin. “I just realized that this is such a hub. I saw the same people every day and built great relationships with them. Some of them even came to my wedding.”
When looking for a location, Griffin thought back to her childhood visits to family in Germany.
“Every morning, we would bike or walk to the nearby bakery and coffee shop and get our baked goods and coffee for the morning,” she said. “They didn’t live in a big city at all, but there was this little bakery on the corner, and you could walk to it and start your days that way. It was such a community hub.”
Griffin wanted to bring that same charm to the Upstate. The name “Third Place” comes from the idea of a space that is not home or work where people gather.
Even the trees on the property had evidence of the former art students’ creativity.
During renovations, the Griffins learned they were expecting a baby boy. It was a happy surprise, though it came with some challenges, like finding a manager and training up staff to make sure the shop could run smoothly without Griffin during maternity leave.
“Now that he’s here, we’re super happy that it worked out the way it did. [My son] kind of forced me to have work-life balance,” Griffin said. “Every entrepreneur has to wear a lot of hats, and I still do, but I don't have to compromise my mom hat to wear the business hat.”
Now, Third Place offers a comfortable atmosphere for people to get away or meet up with friends.
“I've just been able to meet so many people that have so many stories, which is so sweet and just makes this place come alive more and more,” Griffin said.
Carrying on the Hudson legacy
On the shop’s mantle, there’s a picture of the house when it was a working farmhouse, belonging to the Hudson family. This family started Silverleaf Dairy Farm in 1928 and reportedly built the first refrigerated delivery truck in the United States.
“A lot of people aren't necessarily familiar with the history of this place beyond the art studio, and I wasn’t either,” said Griffin. “I really want to pay respects to the Hudsons and how much they loved this home. I hate that they’ve been left out of the story.”
The Hudsons reached out to Griffin after Third Place opened. It was an emotional first meeting, with family members pointing out rooms they remembered. Now, they pay occasional visits, sipping coffee in their childhood bedrooms.
“This was a home. And I think that's so sweet,” said Griffin. “It just makes it come to life when you realize this was a working farm home and that it’s got so much history.”
Third Place features an artist of the month in the corner of the shop. This month’s artist is Staci Purvis.
There are three buildings on the Third Place property: the front coffee shop, a special events space in the middle and an Airbnb in the back. The coffee shop also sports a large front yard with picnic tables.
Griffin says she always tries to support other local businesses artists through her shop. She has a thrift section, carries goods from local artisans and bakers, features an “artist of the month” and allows businesses to host pop-ups on the lawn free of charge.
“I just want to be a platform for these people, and it's always a win-win,” she said. “I'm getting to live my dream of owning a shop, so if I can fulfill someone’s dream of having their art on someone’s shelf, that’s what I want to do.”
In the future, Griffin hopes to eventually add a commissary kitchen and make more use of the outdoor space. Mostly, though, she wants to continue to be a hub for the community to gather.
“I've always been someone who needs community and friends and support to go through things,” she says. “So as a forever goal for this place, I want it to channel that energy.”
Third Place Coffee House is located at 1711 Old Spartanburg Rd. For more information on Third Place, visit the shop’s Instagram.
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