Greensboro is jam packed with hidden gems and places to go. There are tons of bookstores and coffee shops, but Common Grounds stands out with its eclectic ambiance and assortment of specialty drinks and pastries on their menu to choose from.

Common Grounds is located at 631 S Elm St in Greensboro. The coffee shop is a nice place to study, spend time with friends or to listen to music. 

The inviting aura that Common Grounds provides is a unique experience as well and enjoyable for a lot of their customers.

Zanetta Sirleaf, a barista at Common Grounds who loves the individualism and social atmosphere,  explains there are two locations and both  provide a welcoming environment for everyone.

“I like the way it’s set up…there are couches and places to lounge and there’s another location in Greensboro with a pool table, and they serve alcohol, it’s a place for everyone,” Sirleaf said.

She also explained how Common grounds is a place where an assortment of events are held. They have live music and Open Mic every Thursday at 7pm.

”There are a lot of events that are hosted, sometimes they do open mic nights or poetry nights. We have an upcoming event on April 26, and it’s a showcase for all of the Black artists that are at A&T,” Sirleaf said.

Common Grounds is also a place where many students go to spend their evenings, mornings or afternoons. 

Daija Culley-Halsey is a sophomore kinesiology student at N. C. A&T and a frequent customer at Common Grounds and loves the comfortable, calming atmosphere of the coffee shop .

”What keeps me coming back are the drinks and the feeling of having a safe place to feed my creativity and academic ventures,” expressed Culley-Halsey.

Common Grounds is popular for their list of specialty celebrity drink creations. The drinks have different ingredients and flavorings according to the celebrity. Drinks like the “Angela White,” “Bernie Mac,” and the “Jenifer Lawrence” are just a couple on the menu. 

Customer Ali Fox agrees the specialty drinks are one of the driving forces that keeps her coming back.

“If I can’t get like that one particular coffee [the Robin Williams] I think about it, I dream about it,” expressed Fox. “It’s like some days I wake up and I’m like, I have to have this now.”

Common Grounds is open from 7am-10pm Monday through Saturday and 8am-8pm on Sunday’s. 

To keep up with their events follow them on Instagram.