Origin Coffee Bar is the new hot spot for coffee and good vibes

Written by Sarah Johnson. Illustration by Alexia Baptiste.

When looking for the ideal place to study this spring, look no further than Origin Coffee Bar on Martin Luther King Blvd. It’s been a long time coming for this corner shop to open, but it was well worth the wait. After months of working hard and overcoming many hurdles, owners Elise and Matt Higgins, celebrated the soft launch of their flagship location for Origin Coffee Bar on March 10th. They established Origin at the peak of the pandemic, in The Clyde Venue, originally as a mobile coffee cart for events. When the business first opened, the couple drove 20 minutes just to drop a coffee on someone’s porch. Matt Higgins says, “For the first year and a half, it felt like we were impersonating coffee shop owners.” Now, they’re the coffee shop owners they always felt like they were impersonating. 

At their soft launch, I ordered an iced mocha with oat milk and a ham and cheese croissant, which I highly recommend. I even went back to try their hot chocolate, which was perfect for a breezy spring day. Their menu was not the only thing that deserves praise– the atmosphere of this corner shop does as well. From the natural light, the neutral murals, the solid playlist and a tasty cup of coffee, Origin created the perfect spot for any SCAD student to study, complete their work or enjoy brunch. 

While talking to Elise and Matt Higgins, they describe Origin as, “a celebration of SCAD collaboration.” Both SCAD alumn, the couple created their shop with the collaboration and help of other SCAD alums: the interior design was done by Rethink Design (@rethinkdesignstudio on Instagram), the murals were completed by JULU (@ju._lu on Instagram) and their rug was done by Balta Rugs (@baltarugs on Instagram).

Matt Higgins says SCAD was invaluable when starting Origin Coffee Bar. “Creative careers aren’t always linear,” he says. “Sometimes a graphic design degree leads to owning a coffee shop.” He also mentioned that the tools provided to students and alumni by SCAD taught and led them to the resources needed to help them succeed. 

Although there are so many things worth mentioning about Origin Coffee Bar, their mission is most notable: to serve the Savannah community, not just with good coffee but with love as well. Each month, a portion of their profit goes toward feeding the houseless community in Savannah. 

As our spring quarter approaches at SCAD, support small businesses and fellow bees by visiting Origin Coffee Bar. Follow @origincoffee.bar on Instagram for updates.