Wilmington Coffee Passport offers local adventure for National Coffee Day

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Tuesday is National Coffee Day, and coffee lovers across the Cape Fear have plenty of places to grab a cup while supporting local businesses.

The Wilmington Coffee Passport is helping people discover coffee shops throughout Wilmington, Leland, Wrightsville Beach and beyond.

Will and Ellen Rysanek created the passport shortly after moving to Wilmington last year. The couple began exploring the area’s coffee scene and came up with the idea as a way to keep track of the shops they visited.

“As a way to explore the area, we were like, okay, what if we went and got a coffee at all of these different places. And so Ellen and I began mapping out all of the shops in the area and just trying to figure which one was our favorite,” Will Rysanek said.

The passport started with around 25 coffee shops during its first year and has since grown to include more than 50.

Each entry includes the history and location of the shop, a recommended drink and a place to collect a stamp after visiting.

One of the participating businesses is Concorde Espresso Bar in downtown Wilmington.

Barista Shae Boyle said the passport has encouraged people to seek out local coffee shops they may not have known about before.

“Its a fun way for people to go around and find out, like I know a lot of people have come here with their passport and they’re like ‘Oh I’ve been here for 20 years, I didn’t even know you existed. So I just think it’s a fun way for people to find hidden gems, stuff like that, and come in and check out what we have. And they’re usually excited, been coming here for the first time and then they keep coming back,” Boyle said.

Around 2,500 passports have been sold. The Rysaneks have also created passports for the Raleigh-Durham area.

National Coffee Day celebrates one of America’s most popular beverages. According to the National Coffee Association, 66% of American adults drink coffee every day.