A Cup of Care
By Tory Irmeger / Photography by David & Drew Photography & Videography
Since 2011, the folks at Cadence Coffee Company have been serving an excellent cup of joe alongside community care. Stepping into the downtown shop on East 7th Street, guests are greeted with three simple words on the wall: “Coffee. Community. Change.” Owner Shannon Greer shares that these values have been the core of the small business over the past 14 years. “We want to serve the highest quality coffee, to create spaces for authentic community to be built, and to effect positive change in our city,” he says.
At Cadence, the team believes positive change can begin with a single cup of coffee. “The theme song to the old sitcom ‘Cheers’ says it best,” Greer says. “‘Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.’” And, like a good sitcom, the crew at Cadence watches regulars pass through all stages of life. “Years ago, one of our first customers became one of our most loyal customers,” Greer recalls. “We were his coffee shop when he proposed, when he married, and while his wife was pregnant with their first child.” When the baristas found out the customer’s baby had been born, they headed to the hospital maternity floor with his regular large, nonfat latte in hand. “The look on his face when he came to the door was priceless.”
Coffee Company donates 10% of sales across all locations to a predetermined nonprofit. Recent partnerships have included Chattanooga Autism Center and Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga, and the store also served as a collection point for Appalachian emergency relief following Hurricane Helene. “Our growing connections with like-minded nonprofits provide opportunities for coffee to be a vehicle to build community and effect change,” Greer explains. “Cadence is a business that simply cares about people.”
Guests at any Cadence location are invited to be part of the community change, whether it be through heart-warming interactions or the “Pay It Forward” program. Those with the means to do so can pay for someone else to have a free cup of coffee and a note of encouragement. This system of generosity benefits guests from all walks of life – whether they’ve forgotten a wallet, need a pick-me-up, or are finding refuge from the cold.
Alongside quality community exchanges, Cadence is proud to supply guests with fresh, locally-roasted beans and brews. After purchasing Signal Mountain’s Mayfly Coffee in 2022, Cadence now operates the roastery and cafe as Mayfly by Cadence Coffee Co. In addition to the Signal Mountain and downtown locations, guests are also welcome to sample a latte at the coffee bar within Covenant Logistics in Lookout Valley.
Looking to the future, Greer is excited to see how the company can continue to share cheer throughout the region. “We have plans to expand our operations by relocating around the corner to Market Street at the future home of the Oasis Center – a nonprofit incubator and hub. We hope to be in our new location by 2027.” Whether serving regulars or new guests, the team at Cadence Coffee Company is prepared to serve up a cup of care.