Kava, ’awa, ava. While possessing different names across the Pacific region, it all refers to the same drink.
The Kava Konnection brought the drink to South Carolina back in 2014, establishing a brick-and-mortar bar in Hampton North in 2015. Roughly nine years later, it is set to expand its footprint next door into the space currently occupied by Bossy Baker, which is shutting down.
“We are thrilled that our friends at The Kava Konnection are going to be expanding into our current space! This is an exciting new step for them with some much needed extra room. We’ve loved being neighbors and are happy to pass off the space to friends,” the bakery said in a July 23 social media post.
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When Kava Konnection co-owner Gabriel Coggins, first heard the news, he was sad to see his longtime neighbor go but recognized the shuttering doors could be fortuitous.
“We’ve been at the point where […] in the evenings, space is an issue. So we’ve really been out growing our physical space here for the last couple years,” Coggins said, adding that on busy Friday nights the service corner creates a line to the door which can be jarring.
Kava Konnection expansion plans
As it stands, there has been little space for wholesale production – a goal for Coggins, who owns the business with his mother Debbie. The two were mulling over the possibility of a secondary off-site production facility when they heard of the space next door becoming available.
The space acquisition would nearly double the size of the total operation, which currently totals about 1,500 square feet, allowing space for wholesale production.
Coggins’ immediate goal is to place their products in local venues searching for nonalcoholic options. His long-term goal is to be able to place Kava Konnection’s products in kava bars throughout the country and eventually, stores like Whole Foods.
The business sells traditional kava – which possesses an earthy flavor profile – in the form of kava shots, kava refreshers, hot and frozen kava drinks and kava cocktails. Kava is a non-alcoholic social beverage derived from the root of the kava plant that can be found throughout the Pacific. The root may be fresh or dried, then pounded or more modernly, blended with water.
Coggins has made a name for himself in his 32 years, earning CommunityWorks’ Young Entrepreneur of the Year award just three years after opening.
Six years later and on the precipice of seeing his business grow, he’s remained true to his vision: To create a space where people may gather and enjoy a beverage that’s communal but with less health detriment than alcohol. Kava is chemically non-addictive.
In working toward that goal, Coggins has maintained respect for the cultures his product is derived from in learning all that he can about it.
“In this case, of course, it [kava] is a commodity, but we’re not trying to commoditize it again,” Coggins said. “We’re not trying to just exploit it.”
Kava Konnection will take delivery of Bossy Baker’s space in early November, with the completion of the expansion planned for early 2025.
