KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — In a heartwarming show of support, the local community has raised over $8,000 in just under a week through a GoFundMe campaign to support Coffee Underground, a coffee shop near the University of Tennessee campus.
Located at the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and 17th Street, Coffee Underground faces unique challenges during the summer months when student traffic dwindles, explained owner Kelly Ellenburg.
“Summer hit and we just sort of took a downward dive,” Ellenburg shared. “It’s been kind of hard to get the awareness we need to get enough people in the shop, so that has been a hurdle for us.”
On July 5, Ellenburg turned to social media, posting on the shop’s Instagram account to share the business’s financial struggles. Having taken out several loans to realize her dream, Ellenburg also juggles a part-time job to keep the shop afloat.
In response, a community member launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $7,500. Remarkably, within two days, the fund had already amassed over $5,000.
Ellenburg described the outpouring of support as overwhelming.
“I just started seeing the level of support that we had,” she said. “And how much the students cared and how many people cared. That was like a spark of hope for me.”
The funds raised will be allocated toward a new fridge, shop expenses, business startup debt, and staffing. Although Ellenburg primarily runs the shop herself, she has a few baristas to assist.
Brooke Barowski, a barista and UT student who joined the team a few months ago, was moved by the community’s generosity.
“I think it’s wonderful that so many people came together,” Barowski said. “I think that’s another example of the beauty that comes with a united community. But we were definitely not expecting such immediate support.”
Thanks to the raised funds, Coffee Underground can now weather the summer, Ellenburg said.
“People really care deeply about keeping us open,” she said. “It was just a flood of emotions.”
Barowski added that no one deserved the support more than Ellenburg.
“It really just shows how much people do care about this shop and want to see it thrive,” she said. “They see that Kelly is deserving of such a thing.”