Sightsee Coffee
The Coast is Clear
Founded by Allyson Sutton & Joel Sadler back in 2019, Sightsee aims to inspire exploration in all forms. Exploring new cities. Exploring your appreciation for coffee and the many hands that make it possible. Exploring the role you play in your community. Exploring how to make the world a better place.
Through our in-house creative studio and collaborations with artists near and far, we produce products that will inspire and accompany you on all of these daily adventures. In addition to our own product collections, we also thoughtfully curate a lineup of retail goods from like-minded brands – many of which are woman-owned with a focus on quality and sustainability.
Outside of our retail offerings, we also regularly develop content that we hope helps keep you engaged in the ongoing work that comes along with exploring and pushing boundaries – from vibey playlists to actionable resources for political change.
A portion of our profits goes toward supporting this creative work, as well as supporting local organizations that champion social, environmental, and racial justice. To date, we have supported the ACLU, We Are Family, Charleston Black Lives Matter, Charleston Area Justice Ministry, Charleston Climate Coalition, and many more.
Where to Find Us
If you’re in Charleston, we hope you’ll visit our flagship brick-and-mortar for the full in-person Sightsee experience. We are located in the Elliotborough neighborhood of downtown Charleston, at 125 ½ Line Street.
Our online shop is always updated with what’s in-stock, including our latest product releases and featured whole bean coffees. You can shop 24/7 and all orders ship for a flat rate of $5!
Occasionally, you’ll find us popped up at local events with our 1974 VW bus, Olive. In addition to local markets and festivals, you can also book the bus for your own private events here.
Why coffee and retail?
TL;DR: We love trying new things, discovering new brands, and sharing those experiences with friends in the community coffee naturally creates.
The long answer: Sightsee was born out of deep conviction about brick-and-mortar retail and a desire to help shape the future of our beloved city, Charleston, SC. We believe that small, unique storefronts play an essential role in the vibrancy and vitality of cities. Without local retail, our towns become urban malls with fancy food courts. And Charleston is especially at risk of that plight.
Between rising rents and online shopping, it is harder than ever for our much-needed local retail shops to survive. In order to make it, we believe that the brick-and-mortar experience must evolve beyond a physical version of what you can find online. Shops must become communities — welcoming spaces where engaging conversation is as easy to find as your next purchase.
Enter Sightsee: a retail store and coffee bar that is greater than the sum of its parts. By blending the energy and community of a cafe with the joy of product discovery, Sightsee offers an inviting experience that can’t be replicated by apps or algorithms.
