Ubora Coffee is opening its second location in the Augusta market on Belair Road in Evans where Gary’s Hamburgers was previously located.
The new location will have a drive-through and an expanded menu, including smoothies, cronuts and a more robust sandwich and tea lineup, said co-founder Phillip Weisner.
“It will be more of a cafe experience,” he said.
The cafe will have a soft opening the second week in August before officially welcoming customers on Aug. 19.
The founders, Weisner and Andre Leon, who met in the military, opened the first Ubora downtown in 2018. But the spot on Jones Street is easy to miss so they had been looking for a second location for the past two-and-a-half years, Weisner said.
“The first location has a speakeasy-type feel,” he said. “People tell us all the time that they drove by it and didn’t know it was there. That’s why we picked Belair. It’s in your face, and it serves the military community and the rest of Evans.”
Weisner said it’s been rewarding to be the first stop of the day for many Augustans.
“When someone comes in the store, we don’t know how their day started,” he said. “They could be having their worst day. So we want to be sure a drink from us can help right the ship and set them forth on a better path.”
Leon first started roasting coffee as a hobby while they were in the military and approached Weisner with the idea of a coffee shop in Augusta. Weisner has since left the military after 16 years, while Leon is still on active duty.
“I knew I wanted to do it with him because he’s the only person who I felt matched me in work ethic,” he said. “And we complement each other. He can design, and I can build.”
At the new location, Weisner said he built a custom 18-foot table with power islands in the center, hoping to draw in professionals looking to work or have meetings.
“And at the other tables, we hope to see people rekindling friendships and making connections,” he said. “We want to help Evans and Columbia County grow. To give them that extra push.”
