Contributed by Carriage House Coffee
Carriage House Coffee upholds its mission of providing quick and accessible coffee for local customers. The mobile business operates out of a bright red truck called Ruby, which adds a splash of color to the dynamic city as it travels to weddings, festivals and NC State football games.
Under the shared ownership of husband-wife duo Skyeler and Tracy Lewkowicz, Carriage House Coffee was born a few years ago to bring a unique coffee experience to the Triangle area.
After standing in 45-minute lines at Starbucks and Dunkin’, the Lewkowiczes decided to experiment with a new strategy to get their morning caffeine. During the pandemic, the couple started brewing their coffee at home and created a delivery system in which customers could order through an app. This pandemic-limited distribution proved to be just the boost the new business needed to get on its feet.
“This gave us the chance to find out what drinks were the most ordered in a way that represented the general public,” Skyeler Lewkowicz said. “So that gave us a base of support and a place we come back to with people that would give us recommendations. When we hit the ground running, it wasn’t with a big zero and just a new coffee truck; it was with people vouching for us.”
Skyeler Lewkowicz says his wife is a former teacher and coffee fanatic who adds entrepreneurial passion to the business and administrative work he focuses on. It was Tracy Lewkowicz who came up with the name for the business during a brainstorming session, finding that the catchy title had not yet been used.
“Carriage House has been used many times, but Carriage House Coffee has remained unscathed,” Skyeler Lewkowicz said.
The Lewkowiczes brought their mission to life through extensive fundraising and networking with the business community.
Kerrigan Walls, a barista at Carriage House Coffee, said she joined the business last December and fell in love with the coffee truck. Walls spoke highly of her experience at Carriage House Coffee, saying her shifts at the shop allow her to meet a variety of customers, including people from New York, the West Coast and beyond.
“I thought it was a really good experience to kind of join the community as well, because what I love about Carriage House is that it’s a very community-driven place,” Walls said.
According to Skyeler Lewkowicz, Carriage House Coffee uses high quality products. The syrups, along with the coffee beans themselves, are less sugar-based with more flavor impact. The ingredients, such as coffee beans and honey, are sourced through several North Carolina local businesses including Five Star Coffee Roasters in Holly Springs, a beehive in Raleigh called The Pleasant Bee and Benelux, a local coffee shop.
“We try to keep it as southern as possible,” Skyeler Lewkowicz said. “We’re very much focused on being the coffee place for North Carolina by North Carolina.”
Ruby, the shop’s vibrant red truck, is one of a kind in the state and has traveled around the area quite a bit. Ruby was parked in North Hills shopping center for six months before relocating to its regular location at Fenton in Cary. The truck makes occasional journeys to events at Dorothea Dix Park. This year, Ruby will be parked at NC State home football games throughout the season.
Looking to the future, the owners aim to establish a brick-and-mortar location, with the possibility of upscaling.
“We have everything set up to go towards retail and a bigger location, which we’re still working on doing,” Skyeler Lewkowicz said. “We’ve got a rough sketch and are working with a couple places to try and finish off the concept. Now we just need to find a place to put it.”
Check out Carriage House Coffee at upcoming home football games or at Fenton in Cary.