| Latest Addition to Liquid Highway |
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 By Lillia Callum-Penso • STAFF WRITER • October 31, 2008
"It's really hard to communicate that to a customer in 30 seconds at a drive-through window," says Dwain Waller, chief of operations, of Liquid Highway's philanthropic wing. "Whereas, when people come in and sit down it allows me or whoever else to say, 'Hey do you know what we do as a company?'"What Liquid Highway does has grown since the first drive-through opened in 2000. Though Liquid Highway is a for-profit company, all the profits are funneled into the Touch the Ground Foundation, a family-run nonprofit that aims to help the needy and disadvantaged around the world "one cup at a time."The ultimate goal, says Waller, is to eventually be able to donate money to at least one organization in every country around the world. Currently, Touch the Ground supports charities in 30 different countries, including several within the United States.When you step inside the newest Liquid Highway locale that goal surrounds you, from the cups to the rotating gallery of mission trip photos projected on the wall.  But make no mistake, coffee is the main focus of the cafe. That means there are no fewer than 20 medium roasted brews from around the world at any given time."Coffee actually has 1,500 different compounds in it that give it its complexities, flavor, aromas, taste, acidity, body," Waller says, clearly excited about the chance to educate. "Wine has 400 or 500 different compounds, so from an organic product standpoint, coffee beans are like three times as complex as grapes are."I want Liquid Highway to be the most knowledgeable place to learn about coffee in Greenville."But customer loyalty lies with many of the specialty drinks offered, such as Lovers Lane, which combines three types of chocolate, whipped cream and strawberries, or the Slippery Road with English toffee, caramel and chocolate and topped with Butterfinger. All can be served as a latte or as a frozen frappe.The coffee shop also offers a variety of snacks, including muffins, cookies and customer favorite ham and cheese croissant ($3.99). More recently they've tapped into gelato as well, offering such flavors as champagne pomegranate and blackberry zinfandel.There is certainly more to come, Waller says, and he's not just talking about gelato flavors. Liquid Highway is in the process of opening two new stores, one at the new Cliffs Mountain Park development and one in Spartanburg, and plans 40-50 around the Southeast in five to six years."The foundation gives about $300,000 a year currently, and our goal is $4 million," Waller says. "So it's my job to make Liquid Highway grow so we can give away that $4 million."The restaurant, at 220 N. Main St., is open from 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 6:30 a.m.-10 or 11 p.m. Friday, from 7 a.m.-10 or 11 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m.-8 or 9 p.m. Sunday. The cafe seats about 25. Call 864-233-5446 or visit www.liquidhighway.com.
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