New coffee shop, named for secret backyard oasis, brewing downtown

Co-owners Taylor Phyffer, Josh Skidmore and Caitlin Skidmore are working to open Hidden Grounds Coffee on South Second Street later this year.  (Photo by Miriah Hamrick)

Tucked away behind a tiny brick building near the intersection of South Second and Dock streets is a sprawling yard teeming with tropical foliage. Later this year, visitors to Hidden Grounds Coffee at 21 S. Second St. will be able to sip specialty coffees, smoothies and more from a seat within the shop’s secret garden.
 
Hidden Grounds Coffee, named in a nod to the outdoor oasis hidden behind the historic storefront, is the brainchild of co-owners Taylor Phyffer, Josh Skidmore and Caitlin Skidmore. The trio knew of the building’s backyard from visiting the previous tenant, HeyTVM Art & Apparel, and loved the space. When they learned of its availability last summer, they jumped on the opportunity to fulfill a shared dream of owning a coffee shop.
 
Since acquiring the keys in August 2022, the partners have been hard at work transforming the 250-square-foot building and its backyard, which was overgrown with weeds and steeply sloped down to the street. The weeds have since been pulled and replaced with plants, and installation of retaining walls created multiple zones of experience with tables, lounge furniture and benches.
 
“It was a big, big project to tackle. We knew how much potential it had, and it’s been really cool to see it come together piece by piece,” Phyffer said. “Every time the project looks like it’s going to be way too much to handle, we just put the nose to the grindstone and knock it out.”
 
Phyffer and Josh Skidmore own downtown’s The Exit Games, a business offering multiple themed escape rooms for customers. Caitlin Skidmore, a friend of Phyffer’s and Josh Skidmore’s sister, brings nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality industry to the new business. Together, the trio cited a shared desire to be more directly immersed within the community than their previous ventures allowed.
 
“We really craved the sense of community and being able to connect with people in our community on a more regular basis,” Phyffer said.
 
Most of the coffee shop’s seating will be outdoors; Josh Skidmore estimated the garden’s capacity to be about 50 people. Inside, guests can choose from a few window seats, or set up at bistro tables along the storefront’s sidewalk.  
 
The menu, which is still under development, will feature “standard coffee beverages with a few specialty opportunities” like juices, smoothies and teas, Phyffer said. The trio has secured a Savannah, Georgia-based roaster, who is sharing insights on how to brew the perfect espresso. The partners will soon put this insight to work when the shop’s Nuovo Simonelli espresso machine arrives.
 
“The second we get that espresso machine sitting on the finished bar, we are going crazy with experimentation,” Phyffer said.
 
Creativity is one of the group’s self-proclaimed strengths, reflected in the shop’s unique branding featuring a Tyrannosaurus Rex. When brainstorming a logo, Phyffer said they initially envisioned a tiger slinking through greenery, but something felt off. Swapping the tiger for a dinosaur felt fun and playful, and opened up opportunities for whimsical merchandise. For example, recently completed T-shirts feature a vintage-looking design of a cowboy saddled atop a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
 
“We want to be different and eclectic. That’s something that’s really fun for us, and I think it’s going to be important with our business,” said Caitlin Skidmore. “It’s definitely going to reflect every ounce of creativity that we have.”
 
Estimated to open by early summer, Hidden Grounds Coffee will initially operate under limited hours during a soft opening period. Ultimately, the partners hope to open the business seven days a week from early morning to mid-evening. They also intend to offer the space for use during private events.