Winston-Salem coffee business expands specialty café with Salisbury location

Published 12:01 am Sunday, July 17, 2022

SALISBURY — A coffee stop with a twist has been added to the list of local places offering specialty lattes and unique dishes in a café setting.

ByGood Coffee, with an existing location in Winston-Salem, has opened at 1621 W. Innes Street where Hoff’s Grill formerly operated. Co-owners Darrell and Abbey Garner knew the spot was a perfect introduction point for the Salisbury community.

“We want more people to enjoy and embrace our product,” said Abbey Garner.

ByGood Coffee has an array of unique blends and menu choices, including lattes with art, red velvet drinks, Belgian waffles with whipped cream infused with homemade vanilla, paninis, gluten-free and vegan options, various milk substitutes and muffins. Abbey hand-grinds chai while her partner roasts the coffee beans in Winston-Salem. Loose leaf teas will also be available to brew at home.

The shop uses 84- to 89-point graded beans for the most sincere flavors. Darrell said the light to medium roast served at the shop is most likely for a breakfast drink, but dark roast will also be another option for anytime. He added that lighter coffees also offer a greater amount of caffeine for those looking for a little wake-up assistance.

The shop has a 15-seat capacity inside with an outside deck that can seat 35.

Asked why the name is spelled ByGood, Abbey said it is because “only U is missing.”

The soft opening was held Thursday and Friday with a modified menu of drinks and pastries, and Abbey said she was glad for the test run.

“I’m glad we did a soft opening early, because we were still discovering things that we had to address,” she said Friday as she moved around the shop, from behind the counter to a table where she had a laptop open to work then outside to check in with someone trimming a crape myrtle out front. Everything served is made by the shop, and Abbey said by Saturday she would be offering Jamaican meat patties, with plans to eventually offer vegetarian and spinach fillings. “We’re just taking it one step at a time, starting with the basics and learning what our clientele will want, before adding new items in. And the vegetarian patties are very time consuming, so I want to be sure we have a call for them. As long as we do, I’ll make them. You know those are good for dinner, lunch, snacks, even breakfast.”

Saturday, the grand opening was held with a full menu to officially kick off the opening. The shop closed one last day today to tie up any loose ends and will reopen Monday on a normal operating schedule. Business hours are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Noble Smith, who started work at the shop Thursday and was already a deft hand at making lattes, was “really excited to be here, I’m having a great time,” he said, and  he’s looking forward to meeting customers.

They lease the property from Wallace Realty and, according to Darrell, the company worked with the duo to bring their artistic drinks to one of the most bustling roads in Salisbury. They have been preparing to open since 2020.

“We really like this location because it’s close to Catawba College and the hospital,” he said. “We looked into places like High Point and Charlotte, but we believe we have something to offer here in Salisbury that’s special.”

Darrell originally served the community of Long Island, New York, before some friends reached out about the business opportunities in Winston-Salem. In 2018, they moved the café to its current location neighboring the Old Salem and Salem College community. His daughter, Jamilia Smith, still runs that location while they focus on Salisbury.