A portrait by David Wilgus

May 5, 2012 was a memorable day for Summit Coffee; in fact, it may have been the perfect day at Summit Coffee. The sun came up into clear skies while the many volunteers, vendors, farmers, and artists prepared to open the Davidson Farmer’s Market right in our backyard. Teams of people across the street were simultaneously setting up for Davidson Town Day. So, by 8:00 in the morning, our town was teeming with life and full of festive spirit.

Our sense of self at Summit begins with the notion that we are deeply embedded in the community of Davidson. With the Farmer’s Market on our back lawn and Town Day in the front, Saturday found us in the close embrace of hundreds from our community.

All this was just the beginning of the perfect day.

At noon the first notes of music rang out when songwriter Rob McHale took to the Summit stage and began crooning in tribute to our dear friend Robert Whitton. At the same time, Fountain Penn plugged in down the street at The Birdsnest. The music would continue for 11 more hours at Summit and 8 hours down at the Nest.  26 musicians. 19 hours of sweet music for a sweet man.

When Robert Whitton stepped into the Concord Rd. crosswalk this past November, the Davidson community was struck with a deep note of sorrow. The whole community felt the loss of a great man, a brilliant man, a kind man, a giving man, a wise man, a dad, a teacher, a friend. And the community mourned the loss.

At Summit we mourned the loss of a guy who held his office hours on our upstairs couches; a guy who insisted on drinking black coffee out of our “trucker mugs” (as he called them); a guy who regularly wandered up to Summit at night to hear some live music; a guy who passed over fancy beers for a trusty Budweiser (the “Monarch of Malts,” he said); a guy who came to our Holiday party and left whistling Christmas carols all the way home.

On Saturday, we got a chance to come together as a community to celebrate Robert. And while there remains a sense of great loss, Saturday delivered a great sense of presence. There was a spirit throughout the day that we owe to Robert. He gave us the opportunity to gather; he made the musicians play with more heart; he made us all appreciate the day more fully. Just one more gift from Robert.

May 5 was a day full of spirit and community and music and joy. It was a perfect reflection of who we want to be. It was a perfect reflection of Robert.

May 5 may have been a perfect day at Summit. When the full moon rose into the sky, looming closer than it had in 93 years, we were still playing music and hundreds were gathered on our back deck. At 8:45 we left Summit together for a march to the Concord Rd. crosswalk.  We called it a New Orleans style procession (see: DavidsonNews.Net video), but it was way more Davidson than New Orleans.

When we entered the crosswalk on Saturday we were dancing and drumming and the trumpets were blowing And we were celebrating that great man, that brilliant man, that friend.

It was perfect.

ALERT: Decaf Giraffe, he who sits atop the decaf espresso beans, has disappeared. He was last seen two weeks ago, atop the decaf espresso beans (I think we covered that already). He is about 6 inches tall, looks like a giraffe (obviously) and has zero ability to move himself. As a result, this situation is being investigated as a kidnapping.

He does not even vaguely resemble this toy giraffe pictured above but, frankly, it’s the best I could do. He very well may be the only toy giraffe in Davidson.

We need your help to find Mr. Giraffe. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please email MissingDecafGiraffeThisIsBad@summitcoffee.com.

Anyone who leads Decaf Giraffe back to Summit (he can’t lead himself back — he’s immobile) will be rewarded with a small decaf coffee. Fitting, right?

We will not stop until we find an answer.

I’m sitting at our Summit. 128 South Main St. You’ve all been here.

By definition, a summit is the apex, the “topmost level attainable.” That place is different for each of us. Wherever that may be, though, we want to go with you.

I’d like to introduce our newest idea. We will call it “Where’s Your Summit?” And the premise is simple. We’ve printed some good lookin’ Summit Coffee Co. flags. We want to see these flags travel the world.

As a test run, we took the new flag on its maiden voyage to Grayson Highlands State Park this weekend. In another month, it’s heading to Sudan (more on that in a few days), before making its way this Summer to Paris and Florence.

We need your help. Heading somewhere different? Bring a Summit flag with you. Whether it’s boating on Lake Norman, sightseeing in Montana or exploring in Iceland, we’ll fit in your bag. Then, take a photo with the flag and we’ll add it to our collection — in the store, as part of our Facebook album and, ultimately, as part of a YouTube video showing how your summit and our Summit have come together.

Flags will be on sale, should you want one to keep. But they also can be borrowed. So let me know where you want to take the Summit flag.

On raceday, I had convinced myself (out of fear, no doubt) that thunder clouds would roll in quicker than runners. I checked weather.com with troubling frequency — first, every few hours, then later every few minutes. It looked worse and worse …

But as registrants rolled into Summit to run the race, benefiting Levine Children’s Hospital, those storm clouds stayed out of arms reach. More than 260 runners signed up for the race, including one two-time Olympian Steeplechaser who would win the day (shocking).

Anthony Famiglietti, or Fam as he’s affectionately known to those who can’t pronounce his surname, is fairly new to Davidson and decided to join us at Summit for a nice evening run. Asked before the race what his intentions were for the first mile, Fam suggested something south of 4:30. You know, just like the rest of us.

And while Fam crossed the finish line first, his enthusiasm extended through the pack of spirited runners. Mostly doused in green garb, runners between the ages of 6 and 76 made their way through the streets of Davidson to the cheers of their neighbors. It was a lovely sight, a community supporting itself, all in the name of a great cause.

Not to be outdone, the post-race festival drew more than 400 people. Listening to the fine tunes of The New Familiars and enjoying treats from New Belgium Brewery and Hawthorne’s Pizza, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in style.

We owe more thanks than we can spell out in this (no longer that brief) blog entry. But to all our runners, to all our sponsors, to Levine Children’s Hospital, we say thank you. Together, we raised nearly $2,000 for charity while raising awareness for the good work LCH does each day.

We hope you can join us June 15 for Part II of the 2012 Summit Twilight Racing Series. We’ll share more details in the coming weeks, but mark it on your calendar.

Yet not even we who take care of the Dog were prepared for the events of last Sunday.

On that dreary afternoon, an unassuming fellow from nearby Concord showed up on the Summit doorstep with a cardboard box full of…you guessed it… 11 freckled dogs that he was giving away.  For free.  Born from a Fox Terrier mom and a Boxer dad, these six-week-old pups wore black and white spots and hundreds of black freckles:  Freckled dogs being gifted a mere meter away from the door to our own Freckled Dog Pub.  And to top it all off, the dogs shared the exact same birthday: January 3.

Within just a few hours, the man in the brown coat had discovered what we already knew: Summit customers love the freckled dog. Nine of the 11 pups were picked, leaving just two freckled doggies shivering in the chilly wind of the early evening.

That’s when I walked up.

Before I go any further, I want to make one thing clear. Although I am as much a freckled-dog-lover as the next guy, the last thing I need is a six-week-old puppy. I have a working wife, a 15-month-old son, a 3-year-old daughter, a 6-year-old dog (with freckles), 2 ½ jobs, a messy house, and a mild case of insomnia.

But this dog’s face was so freakin’ cute. I had to at least snap a picture to send my wife and kids.

Big mistake.

Five minutes later (this is no exaggeration), I spotted my wife walking down Main St. pushing a double jogging stroller and smuggling something inside her coat. No she didn’t…

…Yes she did.

Welcome to the family, Levon. You are a heckuva cute dog, you are a rascal, you have kept me awake for five nights running, you have pooped on my carpet, and you have made our home a circus.

Now I have a freckled dog (Otis), a Freckled Dog (Pub), and a freckled puppy.

Time for one of those world-class brews.

It’s Valentine’s Day, which seems to be more divisive than our country’s political landscape. To recognize or to ignore? To celebrate or to bemoan? At Summit, we recognize, we celebrate, we embrace February 14. Chocolate and roses were so 20th century; coffee is the new flavor of love.

Some three years ago, one couple found Summit to be such a special place that the soon-to-be-husband proposed to his soon-to-be-wife via our daily trivia. (While I wasn’t here, my hope is that she received her $0.10 discount when she correctly answered “yes.”) And we know Dave has met a girlfriend or two by pouring a heart on top of a latte.

Five years ago, I met my wife (she wasn’t my wife when I met her, just to be clear) when I handed her a mug of Kilimanjaro Blend over the counter. “You’re Brian, right?” she asked. The friendship and subsequent courtship blossomed from one cup of black coffee to the next. There’s little that says “I love you” like sitting behind Summit on a Sunday morning, cup of coffee in hand. Three years later when we married in Richmond, Virginia, we gave each guest a two-ounce bag of coffee. Kilimanjaro Blend, to bring things full circle.

So on this Tuesday, when I wake up and brew some Kilimanjaro at home for Tyler before heading north to do the same for the town of Davidson, know that nothing quite says “Happy Valentine’s Day” like a cup of Summit coffee.

Go ahead, chocolate. Top that.

Following our debut running event in November, which drew 220 runners, we’re coming back this year with four races. Starting with the Leprechaun Loop 8K on the evening March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day), the 2012 Summit Twilight Racing Series again will feature post-race live music festivals. The other events will be held on June 15, August 31 and November 16.

We’re also excited to partner with Levine Children’s Hospital as the beneficiary of the March 17 event. These races give us the opportunity to give back, and we can’t wait to start raising money for Levine Children’s Hospital.

Haven’t registered yet? What are you waiting for! We have several fun surprises and exciting announcements in store for the St. Patrick’s Day race, so click here to get on board: http://www.queencitytiming.com/search/event.aspx?event=f76a6fe1-0e16-4b12-9d6b-6a31fce9e57f.aspx

I know two sides of Andrew Lovedale: the basketball player and the philanthropist. I’m sure there are more and better ways to identify Andrew, but here’s what I know.

I know No. 41, the 6′ 8″ forward from Nigeria whose energy and skill were integral to Davidson College’s run in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. I know Andrew Lovedale, the physically gifted crowd favorite who was perfect from the field as the Wildcats crushed Wisconsin in the Sweet Sixteen.

I also know the Andrew Lovedale that cares more about giving back to those in need than giving it to his opponents. In 2009, Andrew launched Kicks From ‘Cats, a shoe-drive fundraiser for his home country that amassed more than 10,500 pairs of shoes and $15,000 in its inaugural run. The following year after his graduation from Davidson, Andrew established Access to Success (A2S) to continue the successful Kicks From ‘Cats venture.

Now in its fourth year, Kicks From ‘Cats returns to Davidson this weekend and will make a stop at The Freckled Dog Pub on Friday night. From 4:00-7:00, join former Davidson basketball players Can Civi and Ben Allison, our “guest bartenders,” and raise your glass for a good cause. Proceeds from a few specific drinks will benefit A2S, while bartenders will donate their tips to the foundation and a suggested $5 donation at the door will go straight to Kicks From ‘Cats.

We also will have a bin on Friday evening to collect shoes that you are willing to donate. For more information, please visit http://a2sfoundation.org/Access_2_Success/Home.html

In 1999, I spent 6 months in the Himalayas. I studied in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, climbed sacred mountains and lived with Tibetan refugees. I was in hot pursuit of capital T Truth, and I found more of it in those 6 months than in my other 32 ½ years combined. Amid that pursuit, however, I happened upon another truth: the beer in the Himalayas is awful. Awful. Until…

One evening, I was leaving a dinner with some other Americans as a bicycle rickshaw passed us by. On the back of the rickshaw, I saw – unmistakably – a Guinness Logo.

Of all my time in the wisdom and beauty of the Himalayas, this was my big AHA moment. But I was only 3 months into my time in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Hindi was still, well … Hindi. So the other scribbles on the advertisement were lost on me.

So I ran. It was a knee jerk reaction, but I hadn’t had a good beer in a long time. I sprinted down the street  after the rickshaw and signaled the driver to stop. I finagled him to the back of his rickshaw and pointed enthusiastically to his sign. “Where is Guinness? Where is Guinness?” After a lot of head shaking, head nodding and hand gestures, the driver finally told me to “Get in!” And I did.

What ensued was a true Kathmandu Odyssey. My trusty bicycle rickshaw driver pedaled up, down and around the Kathmandu Valley trying to find my Guinness. Throughout our journey, we would pull over to the side of the road so my driver could seek the council of some friends. There was a lot of finger pointing, arguing, shouting; it is not hyperbole to say that this pursuit of Guinness lasted for hours. Yet after many hilly miles, we found it.

It turns out that Guinness had begun brewing beer in Nepal just that month! There was only one bar in the whole valley that had the first batch of beer, and we found it! I cannot aptly describe how beautiful it looked and how good it tasted -  made all the more incredible by the excitement of the effort. I even got my driver to come in and have one with me.

The cool thing about Guinness is that, even when it is brewed elsewhere on the globe, a certain percentage of each brew must come from the original brewery in Dublin, Ireland. That’s seriously cool.

The pursuit of Guinness was, and still is, a worthy pursuit. I am pleased to announce that the Freckled Dog Pub is now a destination for this pursuit. Summit will serve its first Guinness tonight. Sure it will be in a draught can, but part of the beverage will be straight from the Dublin brewery.

Guinness: It’s Good for you. So is the Freckled Dog Pub.

How many times have you been in a bar, restaurant, or coffee shop and heard a live rendition of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl?” How about “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond? Or Oasis’s “Wonderwall?”

Me too.

I have nothing against these songs or the people that play them. Hell, I’ll sing along. But this just isn’t what we’re about at Summit. Since we started having live music three nights a week in 2003, we’ve been all about original music. You might hear a few cover tunes thrown in the mix, but the musicians that we hire are here to perform their own compositions, and we’ve tried to cultivate a crowd that comes to listen.

The Summit Songwriters Showcase, founded and hosted by Rob McHale, epitomizes this commitment to the craft. On the third Thursday of every month, Rob McHale – with regular help from the Mikes – assembles three talented songsters for a songwriters-in-the-round. Through the event, Summit has hosted a diverse group of supremely gifted singer-songwriters. If you haven’t made it out, you need to.

In 2011 alone, the showcase featured the following musicians:


The Cloers, 
Magdalena Daley, 
Mike Davis
, Haley Dreis, 
Lindy Dobbins
, Don Eidman
, Paul Finnican
, Eric Guthrie, Chuck Johnson, 
Billy Jones, 
Jamie Kay
, Rusty Knox, 
Lucinda Lucas
, Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards, 
Angelo Melendez, 
Ang Medlin, 
Hannah Miller
, Jackie Moseley
, Mike Nolan
, Shantell Ogden
, Lea Pritchard
, Steve Pelland, Marie Reid
, Sara Scott
, Steve Simpson
, Rick Spreitzer
, Adam Whiting
, and Chas Willimon.

Wow.