Cromer’s P-Nuts is a well-known establishment in the Columbia community. You’ve probably encountered their products if you’ve seen any balloons or eaten popcorn on campus.
Though Cromer’s P-Nuts has been around since the 1930s, a new establishment, Cromer’s Café, just opened on Huger Street.
“We’re old, and we’ve been here forever, but we definitely are not out of the loop,” said Agata Chydzinski, the general manager of Cromer’s.
The small, quaint and vintage café offers a big comfy couch, a library of books and more than 200 different variations of coffee to choose from, all locally grown in South Carolina.
“The attention seems to be on all of the big coffee shops right now but we wanted something more local,” Chydzinski said. “Our coffee is roasted in Columbia by a roaster who pays extremely close attention to his beans.”
USC students can receive a 10 percent discount off any purchase with their Carolina Card, and parties of five or greater can use the upstairs conference room, which is equipped with a projector and Wi-Fi, free of charge.
“By getting that coffee shop our focus was definitely the students at USC,” Chydzinski said. “We’ve been supporting and doing business with the university for more than 50 years.”
To encourage sustainability, customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee cup or thermos, in exchange for endless $1 coffee.
“I think there is a big marketing push to be done for people who hate waste,” Chydzinski said. “And anything we do and the choices we make with our raw materials minimize waste.”
Cromer’s Café menu includes a small but diverse selection of South Carolina-based options, from caprese sandwiches to Friday’s shrimp and grits special. One barista even said he’s happy to make anything he has the materials to make, for any customer.
“We would love to have students come in here. It’s great coffee, great people and a lot of fun,” said Cromer’s owner Carolette Cromer Turner. “I would love to have young people come take advantage of the space.”