ASHEVILLE – The morning before the coffeehouse’s newest branch opened in East Asheville, a woman walked through the door of Dripolator to place an order.
Co-owners Amy Vermillion and Joshua Valdes introduced themselves and welcomed them back the next day, when the finishing touches on the new cafe would be put in place and the baristas would prepare to pour espresso drinks and serve pastries.
The woman, who said she lives in Swannanoa, is a longtime customer of the original Black Mountain location and is happy to have a Dripolator closer to her home.
She is not alone.
This trend has been evident since the company announced its upcoming debut at 811 Tunnel Road, Unit B, last spring and began renovating the storefront.
“A lot of people have been knocking on the door and coming in thinking we were going to open, so they’re definitely ready,” Vermillion said.
Dripolator’s reach continues to grow in Western North Carolina, with the support of third business partner Chris Bolick, with the largest movement occurring in recent years.
In 1999, Vermillion opened the cafe at 221 West State St. in Black Mountain. On July 31, the company celebrated its 25th anniversary.
In 2022, after partnering with Valdes three years ago, Dripolator opened its second location at 909 Smokey Park Highway in Candler.
In June 2023, less than a year later, the partners entered another neighborhood with a new cafe at 20 Gala Road, Suite 101 in Gerber Village in South Asheville.
On August 8, the cafe opened and welcomed its first guests from East Asheville.
“We went to South Asheville, and it was an opportunity that came our way that we couldn’t turn down,” Valdes said. “When we opened this store, we talked about finding underserved areas in Asheville. We don’t want to be downtown, we want to go into the communities.”
Dripolator vibes
Dripolator-East Asheville has the same hours as its sister cafes, 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.
The East Asheville location provided an opportunity to introduce the brand to a new market and high-traffic area. The store space, a former home decor store, was a blank canvas where the partners could unleash their creativity.
“Our stores were always meant to be a third place,” Vermillion said. “It’s not their home, it’s not their job, but it’s their third place where they go to socialize.”
The shotgun-style cafe has high ceilings, and the partners preserved the existing wood slat accent wall. Renovations included outfitting the shop with a custom wood bar, coffee and espresso machines from local specialty coffee distribution and service company Underground Mountain, and repurposing pews from a Swannanoa church as bench seating.
Photographer Greg Elder provided this collection of natural landscapes from his international expeditions.
In keeping with the company’s mid-century modern design style, vintage furniture such as leather sofas, accent chairs and high-backed “Alice in Wonderland” armchairs are used to create cozy nooks for gatherings.
The classic dining table for six people was chosen for hosting large groups and meetings.
Wallpapers with bold prints were carefully selected to match the brand.
“Our goal is for people to come in and feel at home, like they’re in a Dripolator,” Vermillion said. “They know where they are, they know what to expect, and they know the menu.”
Home-roasted roasts and menu favorites
Dripolator roasts coffee itself at its location in Candler.
“When I joined and started expanding, I thought we would follow some trends – maybe get into Nordic coffee roasts and light roast profiles,” Valdes said. “We know people like medium to dark roasted coffee, so while we’re still trying light roasted coffee, we’re leaning toward medium or dark roasted coffee.”
The menu includes coffee, espresso, tea, frappes and more, as well as specialty drinks like the Hazed & Infused Mocha with Ghirardelli chocolate and hazelnut syrup.
The Cubano – Valdes’ favorite – is made with espresso, raw sugar, sea salt and semi-skimmed milk.
“A little salty, a little sweet, but not too much,” Vermillion said. “Very subtle and pleasant.”
The Affogato is a special dish from last season that was added to the regular range due to its popularity. Whit’s Custard’s vanilla frozen custard is topped with espresso, caramel or chocolate and cocoa and served with a biscuit garnish.
The seasonal menu changes every three months, the autumn menu appears on September 1st.
The in-house kitchen program prepares items such as quiches and breakfast sandwiches using bagels provided by Sisters Bakery in Black Mountain.
The fruit smoothie has gained popularity and is made with milk or milk substitute, banana and other fruits. Smoothie additives such as hemp protein and spinach are available.
Vermillion’s favorite smoothie is the “delicious and refreshing” Love Me Ginger made with coconut water, banana, mango, strawberry and “a piece of fresh ginger.”
Running a coffee business
Vermillion, who has been in the coffee business for 25 years, and Valdes, who entered the industry in 2013, have opened four coffeehouses and said they often face new challenges and have to work on fine-tuning their operations.
“We learn every time we do it and improve it a little bit in small steps, which has a huge impact on the efficiency of the baristas,” Vermillion said.
The employer, which has a living wage certificate, employs a total of almost 40 people at its four locations.
Valdes said launching a new concept can be chaotic, but it all comes together. It all comes down to being brave enough to take the first step.
Vermillion said that when starting a new business, you have to expect it to take twice as long due to unexpected elements. She said that when she opened the first coffee shop, she lacked funding, so she had to be creative and resourceful and seek guidance from others in the industry.
She said a passion for customer service and interaction is required.
“You learn fastest when you apply a lot of pressure,” she said.
Drip device
Where: 811 Tunnel Road, Unit B, Asheville.
Hours: Daily from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The information: For more information, visit facebook.com/thedripolatorcoffeehouse and follow @dripolatorcoffeehouse on Instagram. Dripolator is accepting applications at [email protected].
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a Citizen Times subscription.
