Creating Community Through Coffee

Buck’s and Calders – social hubs in the heart of town

By Judy Royal

Coffee shops are more than just a place to grab your morning Java jolt or favorite caffeine oncoction. They are gathering spots that host business meetings, first dates, study groups, and book clubs. They often act as satellite offices for those needing a quiet workplace away from home or office. They foster social interaction and conversation, bringing people together and turning neighbors into friends.

Plateau towns Cashiers and Highlands each have a coffee shop that acts as the heart of the community, precisely what the owners had in mind when they took the reins.

Buck’s Coffee Cafe – 6 Highway 107 North, Cashiers

Buck’s has been a Cashiers staple since 2008 when it was opened as a second location following the first Buck’s in Highlands. The original owners sold it to Stephanie and Steve Miskew in October 2021 after a chance meeting. A Certified Sommelier with a thriving wine consulting business in South Florida, Stephanie had been interested in buying Highlands Wine Shoppe for years but had not succeeded. The Miskews thought the coffee shop, which served a limited selection of wine, might be a good alternative, and the rest is history.

“It was just a feeling we got,” Stephanie recalled when they first walked into Buck’s. “It had such a warm, welcoming vibe, and you could tell it was a place where people gathered and had a wonderful time. It just had such wonderful energy.”

The Miskews had been visiting Highlands every summer but were looking for a way to immerse themselves more in the area. Buck’s offered the perfect opportunity, Stephanie said.

“I couldn’t pick a better business to buy if you wanted to get to know the community,” she said. “It’s such a magical gathering place. We knew we were taking on something bigger than ourselves, and it was an honor to continue the tradition.”

Buck’s serves Café Campesino coffee, a Georgia-based brand, and offers sandwiches, soups, baked goods, teas, and kombucha. Stephanie said the goal is to feature local artisans, makers, and bakers.

The Miskews also purchased Highlands Wine Shoppe just a few months after buying Buck’s, and they are focusing on a wine program at the coffee shop as well. Overall, they want Buck’s to continue to offer a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.

“I think there is that link between coffee and community,” Stephanie said. “What’s better than gathering with friends over a nice cup of coffee? There’s just something about it, and the two go hand-in-hand.”

Calders Coffee Cafe – 384 Main St., Highlands

Leigh and Clay Hartman bought the original Buck’s location in May 2019, opting for a name change to put their spin on the longtime coffee shop. Calders is a nod to a river in Scotland and a now-closed pub in Charleston, SC, where the Hartmans had their first date.

After moving from Charlotte, the couple had been living in Highlands for about a year and wanted to find a way to become better acquainted with their neighbors.

“We thought, yeah, a coffee shop is a way you get to know people,” Leigh said. “We did it as a way to integrate into the community.”

In addition to its menu of coffee drinks made with the Café Campesino brand, Calders offers sandwiches, teas, smoothies, and an array of local products, including honey, chocolates, and pastries, such as Welsh cakes, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. The bagels are flown in from New York, something the Hartmans added when they took the helm. Calders also features local photography of waterfalls and other landscape shots.

Calders can accommodate both leisurely sippers and those who are short on time. Mobile ordering with a designated pickup area is a quick option that allows customers to avoid the line.

Leigh credits her staff of familiar faces with keeping customers coming back for more.

“Our relationship with them and their relationship with the regulars, that’s the gold to me,” she said. “That is the best part of the whole thing.”

Leigh said Calders acts as a connection point for Highlands, where people often leave Secret Santa gifts for each other and rely on the location to bring them together.

“I love the community engagement part of it because, to me, if you’re having a tough day or meeting somebody for the first time, you get coffee,” she said. “Coffee fuels community; my big draw was to be that community engagement spot.”