Franklin Street just picked up a new caffeine fix courtesy of two UNC undergrads. The Grounds, a student-owned coffee shop run by UNC students Emily Lutgring and Allison Travis, has quietly started serving espresso, tea and a lineup of “dirty” sodas during limited morning hours while the pair gears up for a bigger August debut. Tucked inside The PITCH event space, the counter is designed to double as both a study spot and a small-business training ground for its student operators.
According to WUNC News, Lutgring, 20, and Travis, 21, met at The PITCH on April 14 and soft-launched The Grounds on May 5. Friends and family helped them pull the shop together, and the co-owners registered an LLC to formally run the business, the outlet reports.
Where It Is Located And Hours
The Grounds operates from the front counter at The PITCH at 462 W. Franklin Street, and The PITCH’s website lists summer coffee hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Pitch describes the space as a daytime gathering spot that transitions into an event venue in the evenings.
Menu, Lease And Launch Plans
WUNC News reports that The Grounds currently offers drip and espresso drinks, tea and what the owners call dirty sodas. The pair told the outlet they hope to add dirty energy drinks ahead of a hard launch in August. They also said the storefront is leased for about $2,700 per month and previously housed an espresso-martini bar at night.
The co-owners plan to stay on as operators through their last semester and after graduating in December 2026, and they expect to grow the team to between five and ten employees by fall to keep up with morning demand. The goal is to keep the shop student-focused while building a sustainable small business.
How The Grounds Fits On Franklin Street
The Grounds joins a long-running lineup of Franklin Street cafés that serve students, faculty and visitors along a corridor that Visit Chapel Hill describes as the town’s central daytime retail strip. Visit Chapel Hill highlights The PITCH as a mixed-use venue, and the new coffee counter is part of an effort to keep daytime foot traffic moving on West Franklin.
For now, The Grounds will stick to short, student-friendly morning hours while the owners fine-tune the menu and staffing, with a hard launch penciled in for August. If things go as planned, Lutgring and Travis hope to leave behind a durable example of student entrepreneurship on Franklin Street that future campus founders can build on.
