Curating Community: The Story of Press & Porter in Downtown Concord

On the corner of Cabarrus Avenue and Union Street in downtown Concord, there's a coffee shop where the barista might know your order before you say a word. Press & Porter opened its doors in July of 2019 — and in the years since, it has quietly become one of the most genuine community spaces in Cabarrus County.

Press & Porter at 8 Union St S in downtown Concord — a community coffeehouse built from scratch by two local sisters.

A Walk That Changed Everything

Sisters Anna and Emily were on a walk through downtown Concord in 2019, kids in tow, looking for somewhere to escape the heat. What they found instead was a "Going Out of Business" sign on a beautiful, historic storefront.

The wheels started turning. Concord had no downtown coffee shop open seven days a week. Growing up traveling, both sisters had experienced coffee shops as community spaces — places where different kinds of people found common ground over a cup. If they were looking for that kind of place, surely their neighbors were too.

Three months later, with no business background and, as they freely admit, no real coffee expertise beyond knowing they needed caffeine to function, they opened Press & Porter. They had Googled "how to start a business from scratch," taught themselves most of the basics, and DIY'd the build-out. The result was exactly the kind of place they'd been looking for.

A Name With History Behind It

When Anna and Emily named the shop, they wanted to honor the building itself. The space at 8 Union St S carries a layered history — it housed the Concord Register newspaper in the late 1800s and Porter Drug Co. in the 1920s. "Press & Porter" carries both legacies forward.

The shop's motto — "curating community through coffee" — reflects exactly what it does. Their specialty coffee beans come from Enderly, a local small-batch organic roaster. Baked goods are sourced from Veni Vidi Vici Cafe/Bakery. Bagels come from Crust Punk Bagels. Their kombucha is from Borinquen Kombucha, and their merchandise from a local supplier. When customers spend money at Press & Porter, a meaningful share of it stays in the region, circulating through the small businesses that make Cabarrus County distinctive.

A Space Built for Everyone

From the beginning, the sisters envisioned a place for families with kids, business meetings, casual first dates, and long conversations. One pair of regulars — who had their first date at Press & Porter — are now married. That kind of story is exactly what Anna and Emily were after.

They opened six months before a global pandemic. They adapted, survived, and continued to serve their regulars through it all. Through downtown Concord's ongoing changes and development, they've held to the same model: know the customer by name, know the drink by heart, source local, stay personal.

At Solo Faith Church — located at 587 Old Charlotte Rd SW in Concord — we believe in businesses that treat their community as more than a customer base. Press & Porter lives that out daily.

Visit Press & Porter

Press & Porter is located at 8 Union St S, Concord, NC 28025. Hours are Monday–Thursday 6:30am–5pm, Friday 6:30am–6pm, Saturday 8am–6pm, Sunday 8am–5pm. You can reach the team at pressandporter@gmail.com or find them on Instagram at @press_and_porter.

To explore their menu and learn more about the shop, visit Press & Porter directly. For the full story of how two Concord sisters built it from the ground up, their About page is worth reading.

Solo Faith Church highlights Press & Porter in our Solo Faith Directory because a business that actively routes its purchasing power back through local vendors — while building a welcoming space where the whole community belongs — reflects values we believe Concord is stronger for. When neighbors like Anna and Emily bet on their town, the whole town wins.

Support Local — And Support Your Neighbors

When you support local businesses in Concord, you strengthen the whole community. Solo Faith Church also runs a free food pantry and DoorDash delivery program — consider sponsoring a family today. Learn more here.

Community Support Note: This spotlight is part of Solo Faith Church's local business directory initiative to uplift our Concord neighbors. Information was responsibly compiled from Press & Porter's public website and the Independent Tribune to help our congregation and community discover local services.