Peter Washington III • Photo by Ashley Stanol Credit: Ashley Stanol

Before I ever dreamed of opening a café, I grew up watching my father stand on picket lines and my mother serve sweet potato pie with quiet strength. Their stories, and the stories of the generations before them, shaped the way I see the world and the way I want to serve my community.

I carried these stories with me to the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area where I lived for 15 years before returning home to Cainhoy. The pull home was stronger than nostalgia — it was purposeful. I returned to Charleston to be closer to my family, but also to create a space rooted in our history, community and culture.

I now proudly reside on the land that has been a sanctuary for my family for five generations. This summer, I’m opening the Washington Café, a hybrid space where coffee meets art. The café will be in Mount Pleasant, a town transformed by rapid development, displacing many longtime communities. We won’t just serve coffee, but we will carry forward my family’s legacy of community and resilience in this area I love. We will host events and showcase art that honors the people who have built this place. It’s a space to slow down, to create and to remember who we are.

My mother always said, “Manners will take you a long way in life.” She was right. Her sweet potato pie, which we’ll serve, symbolizes the strength and hospitality she showed as a mother, teacher and nurturer. Each slice carries the warmth she showed to everyone who walked through her door. We intend to share that spirit with our café patrons.

Coffee is at the heart of what we do. It offers comfort and sparks conversation, turning everyday moments into opportunities for connection and action. Coffee shops have long served as community hubs that bridge generations. My nieces and nephews are your future baristas. We’ll also serve food deeply rooted in the Black community: Charleston chewies, handmade breakfast biscuits and the sweet potato pie. These are flavors of tradition and comfort.

As a longtime art collector, I believe art is essential for telling stories that words alone cannot capture. The Washington Café will also serve as a gallery, displaying works from my personal collection alongside pieces from emerging and local artists. Each work will spark conversation about identity, struggle, joy and pride.

I come from a long line of people who built their lives and helped build Charleston. My grandfather was a cowboy on Daniel Island, guiding cattle and raising a family in a time when Black cowboys were overlooked. My great-grandmother, Victoria, was such a pillar of her community that a road in Clements Ferry bears her name. I’m also a descendant of Philip Simmons, the world-renowned blacksmith whose ironwork reminds us of the artistry and strength that define this place. Their stories fuel my commitment to honoring the past while building the future.

My father, Peter Washington, was one of the Charleston Five longshoremen who fought for labor rights and dignity at the docks. His fight for justice left an imprint on me. The Washington Café will honor that resilience. Every aspect — from my father’s design to the curated art — reflects the intentionality and care I have for this community.

Gullah Geechee culture is the heartbeat of the Lowcountry and it’s woven into the walls of the Washington Café. From the music in the air to the art on the walls and the daily conversations, the café will celebrate this rich, rhythmic and resilient legacy.

This space is for everyone: students looking for a quiet place to study, artists in search of inspiration, elders sharing wisdom and neighbors building connections. I came home to create a place of belonging, and the Washington Café is my way of giving back to the city that raised me. With every cup, I’ll honor the heritage that shaped and serve the place that raised me.

Editor’s note: The Washington Café is expected to open later this summer at 1111 McKnight Road in Mount Pleasant.

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