Spots Around Savannah

Written by: Alexa LoSchiavo. Graphics by: Micaela Alomia.

Issue One: The Importance of Community.

Welcome to the first issue of Spots Around Sav, a column put out biweekly by yours truly, Alexa LoSchiavo. Spots Around Sav is the inside scoop on all the best spots in Savannah, for music, connection, food and more. I started this column as a way to highlight the beautiful city of Savannah and, more importantly, the ways SCAD students can connect with it. After all, college is not just about school but also about the ways we learn and grow within our communities.

We’re starting off this week with a brilliant spot that encompasses music, connection, food and more. The coffee shop and event space Sentient Bean is a local gem in Savannah that connects the city through its open charm and support of local artists.

As you walk through Forsyth Park, you’re greeted by Sentient Bean, right across from the basketball courts. There are metal tables lined outside and a sense of collective community many places lack. You can sit out under the sun and read, and chances are someone will stop and talk to you. Sentient Bean exists as a third space, a place to do work, create or watch live music. It offers a haven not just in the espresso or the lemonade in mason jars but in the opportunity for community it provides.

Inside, you’re greeted by open space, art on the walls and a wooden stage camouflaged against the back. Posters line the wall by the bathroom, and curtains are pinned up to be drawn when the coffee shop closes and the event space opens. Outside there are lemon trees, gravel spots to smoke and sometimes cats, if you’re lucky.

The coffee shop is the perfect place to people-watch. If you have a couple of hours, you can watch the crowd shift from early-morning runners to farmers market goers to tourists panting from the heat. In the wooden barstools and trophies used to mark tables, there’s an understanding of the ethos of Sentient Bean: locality, connection and care for our earth.

While Sentient Bean is a beautiful place to grab a bite to eat, people-watch or simply do work, the most magical thing about it is its ability to transform. There’s a beautiful, rhythmic dance that goes into changing the coffee shop into an event space. I’ve watched as the last guest leaves, the doors are locked in haste, and a flurry of excitement follows: closing the curtains, pushing the tables out of the way, lifting the heavy wooden stage and making it into something that holds up artists.

Sentient Bean hosts a variety of events, and it’s affordable to rent the venue. They cater to everyone, hosting queer open mic nights, burlesque and drag performances, bands, basically anything you can think of. It’s home to creative passions, subsections of art and anyone who needs a platform or a space to celebrate. Sentient Bean is exactly what it sets out to be: an intentional space that promotes the collective.

It’s important to celebrate local artists and local coffee. A space that promotes both is a spot we should all have on our radar. Creating a third space, a separate home and a space to celebrate is a hard task, and this Savannah spot holds all of these things in a beautiful way.