Tryon – A one-of-a-kind coffee shop is bringing holiday cheer to town with a showing of the classic Christmas movie The Grinch on Saturday, December 23, at 6:00 p.m. at Big Guns Coffee.
Located at 152 North Trade Street in downtown Tryon, the Big Guns Coffee shop will transform into Whoville for the free event, with a snow machine, cozy blankets and heaters, and plenty of festive decorations. Attendees are encouraged to don a festive sweater or even Christmas pajamas, and the Grinch himself will be available for photos.
Big Guns Coffee founders T.Shane Johnson and his nine-year-old daughter Charli Johnson will add themed beverages to the menu for the movie night, including a specially crafted, green Grinch Frappe and seasonally flavored lattes.
T.Shane and Charli recognized themselves in the story of the Grinch and his cheerful companion, Cindy Lou Who, and wanted to share the heartwarming holiday tale with the community.
“It’s a great story, and in a way, it’s kind of about us,” explained T.Shane. “You know, I’m a big angry dad, and she’s this happy kid. We thought it was kind of cute.” Most importantly, the pair wanted to offer an opportunity for families to connect ahead of the holidays.
“We just want everyone to know this is Charli’s place, her shop,” said T.Shane. “It’s a kids’ thing. And we want kids and families to come out and enjoy what Tryon is and have a good time.”
At just seven years old, Charli came up with the inspiration, name and logo for Big Guns Coffee. As an experienced entrepreneur, T.Shane supported his daughter in starting and growing the business. The pair began with a mobile coffee trailer and now operate multiple coffee locations serving 38 different blends of coffee from around the world.
Charli is involved in every aspect of the business, from roasting the beans to greeting and serving customers with her signature corny “dad jokes,” which are also printed on the packages of coffee sold in-store and online. Charli also recycles the spent coffee into crafts, including candles and soap.
“Just one year ago, we weren’t even here,” said Charli. “We were at a coffee trailer right outside of here. And now we’re building a hydroponic coffee farm; we went on the Kelly Clarkson Show and we went on Fox & Friends; and we have a whole store.”
Charli has used the growth of the past year to continue giving back to the community. She donated a supply of coffee to the 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), United States Army Special Operations Command.
Following her appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show, Charli was awarded $1000 and decided to use it to buy Christmas presents for classmates at Sunny View Elementary School.
“That way, it helps more people instead of just one,” said Charli. “A kid shouldn’t have no presents at Christmas.”
The Johnsons plan on continuing to involve the community in 2024, with a developing partnership with Isothermal Community College to establish the first hydroponic coffee farm in North Carolina. The partnership has allowed Big Guns Coffee to secure 2,300 square feet of space to develop the fully indoor hydroponic farm, with coffee trees grown in nutrient-dense fluids rather than soil.
“It really shows Isothermal Community College’s vision for the community and that this is the future,” explained T.Shane. “A lot of people don’t want to go out and run a tractor on land anymore, but farming is so important, and coffee is a great buzzword. If people can pay attention to hydroponics through coffee, then maybe they’ll understand indoor sustainability, which is where the future is.”
Through the business incubator partnership with the community college, T.Shane looks forward to one day opening the first indoor-outdoor coffee café and farm.
“The experience we want is for people to be able to walk in, harvest coffee, process and roast it right on site, and then we’ll pour you a cup of coffee right from the tree,” said T.Shane. At the same time, he emphasizes that the business growth is second to developing Charli’s passion as a young entrepreneur.
“If there’s any message I want people to get out of it, that’s what it is,” said T.Shane. “This young woman can come in here, with her dad getting behind her, she can work and build something and be a part of something and be respected accordingly.”
“It’s all out of love and a big heart, which is really like the Grinch story,” continued T.Shane. “As I’ve gotten older and became a veteran, your perspective on the world can become a little skewed. You kind of look at life and start to think that your dreams and visions are starting to dissipate. And then you see people travel in for the coffee, and they connect with her, and they watch her work, and you’re like, ‘Wow, maybe I’ve done a whole bunch of things wrong, but I feel like I’m doing it right this time.’ It’s pretty powerful—it’s like the Grinch; it makes your heart grow a little bit.
More information on Big Guns Coffee is available at www.biggunscoffee.com.