Clare’s Coffee Review- ByGood Coffee

By: Clare Buchanan

As my Nine Days Of Solitude start to come to a close, I can confidently say that this week was needed. During these nine days of peace and quiet, I have been able to truly tune into the sights and sounds of this remarkable city the Salemites call home: Winston-Salem. 

Today as I was walking to ByGood Coffee, I passed by the Historic Brookstown Inn and took a moment to take in the grandeur of the building, pondering one of my favorite writers and thinkers Dr. Maya Angelou. Unbeknownst to many, Dr. Angelou spent the last years of her epically robust life here in Winston-Salem, teaching at Wake Forest University and actually spending many nights at the Brookstown Inn with a deck of cards, a bottle of sherry, and some legal pads to write on. In what other city could you literally walk where Maya Angelou walked? Pass by the hotel where she stayed- writing some of the greatest works of her time? It’s mind boggling.

I’ve said it many times before- and I will keep saying it. There is no place like Winston-Salem. In “Letter To My Daughter”, Angelou called North Carolina a “Valley of Humility” in between the conceited and troublesome states of Virginia and South Carolina. Ever since I read this, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. What a beautiful and truly honest way to describe this state. Sometimes I am truly baffled by the hands of fate- how they placed Dr. Maya Angelou here in Winston. How they placed me here. 

So as I face the daunting emptiness and lull of writer’s block- as I wonder how in the world I can make my seventh article about a cup of coffee entertaining to the readers- I remind myself of Dr. Angelou’s wise words and how something miraculously both brought us here- to this city that hovers in the heart of this Valley of Humility. I honed into this feeling as I passed the Brookstown Inn and made my way to ByGood Coffee.

ByGood Coffee was actually the first coffee shop I visited in Winston-Salem when I moved here a little over a year ago- and since then it has been a place of refuge. I have spent many mornings and afternoons at the table by the window overlooking Brookstown. Precious moments of solitude have been spent there, finishing some of my favorite books, journaling, or writing letters to friends across the country. I’ve even wept at that table- as I often become overwhelmed with emotion when I realize that I am living the life my thirteen year old self dreamed of. I don’t know what they put in the coffee at ByGood- but it always leaves me feeling grounded in my purpose here. A good coffee shop should feel like a second home, and that’s what ByGood is for so many people in this community. Their motto is after all, “Only U is missing.” (Very clever.)

With all that said, here’s my review of ByGood Coffee:

BYGOOD COFFEE

• Walkability: 0.4 of a mile from campus. The walk here is the same as if I was heading to Camino, except when I know I’m going to ByGood the walk tends to feel more hopeful. 
• Order: Hot vanilla latte with 2% milk.
• Price: $5.93 (So close to $6 and it hurts me, but I let it slide.) 4/5 squirrels.
• Taste: The taste of the ByGood bean is nothing less than artisan. It’s quality. Which is why I let the price slide every now and then. Because I’d rather pay a little extra for a bean that was grown, delivered, and drained with love, than pay a little less and receive a crappy, mediocre bean. 5/5 squirrels.
• Ambiance: The ambiance of ByGood Coffee can really only be described as your favorite eclectic Aunt’s living room. The bright blue paint on the walls brings me back to simpler times and the year 2012. The HomeGoods signs that say “Coffee and Friends-The Perfect Blend!” and “But first, Mama needs her coffee!” hit a certain nostalgic nerve. ByGood always has local art hanging up on the walls and when I visited today, they were hosting a Holiday Pop Up Shop for local artisans and creators in the community. This is what I call community engagement and involvement. Not to mention, the sofas here are very comfortable- perfect for perching. And of course, my table by the window- it’s perfect. Nothing can beat it. 5/5 squirrels.
• Customer Service: Abbey and Darrell, the owners of ByGood, are quite literally angels on Earth. They don’t know my name but I certainly know theirs because they are Winston-Salem legends. They are known for their hospitality and friendliness, something I feel is essential in running a coffee shop. I always tend to leave ByGood feeling hopeful for humanity, which is how you know a coffee shop has gone above and beyond their general mission to serve coffee. ByGood doesn’t just serve coffee, they truly serve the community. 5/5 squirrels.