People Who Make It Happen

Kem

Owner and chief coffee cup washer is a middle-aged (hey, close counts), type A personality with over twenty years experience in the corporate sales and management world.  She went through her midlife crisis (actually quite early in life seeing as how she's still so young) and decided she needed the crazy, fun and always interesting world of running a coffee shop to sustain her until she reached her golden years.  She's crazy in love with her dog Ziva, a year old Sheltie, and always drinks the flavored coffee black with Splenda because it's like having dessert with no calories.

Tara

Manager and chief baby sitter for the other baristas in The Forest.  Tara is a SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) certified barista, which shouldn't be confused as just certifiable.  She has also achieved her certs for barista training, which means she gets to tell everybody else what to do.  She likes Clemson, hence her great sense of humor.  She has a contagious (and boisterous) laugh which echoes throughout The Forest most anytime she's working.  She pulls a mean shot and can blend a frozen Snow Leopard with her eyes closed (and her hands tied behind her back).  Boo-yah!

Roby

Is a serious, but definitely fun guy who knows a little about a lot.  But he's for sure an expert on coffees and teas.  His favorite tea is Gojiberry infusion because it's light and refreshing and just sweet enough.  He was born and raised just south of the Mason Dixon Line (that would be the eastern shore of Maryland for those of you who are geographically challenged).  He has been in S.C. for over three years and has worked in The Forest for more than half of that time.  He's seriously working on his latte' art and his new challenge is perfecting the 'song of the swan' (not to be confused with Swan Lake, which he insists is much easier).

Christian

A single, handsome and charismatic (his words) guy, he enjoys painting and photography on the rare occasion when he escapes his barista duties in The Forest.  He is originally from Pittsburgh, and has become very good at translating Southern drawl.  He has more experience than most because he's been working here since he was a child (just about three years ago).  He intensely dislikes brussel sprouts (for some reason this was important for him to share).

Emily

A bookworm who loves sushi, texting and old movies, Emily has worked at The Forest on and off while attending college.  She wants to be an MLT (medical lab technician) when she grows up.  We call Emily Mrs. Fields because she likes to bake our delicious scones and cookies.  Emily swears she's discovered the cure for whateer ails you and it's our delicious frozen Mango Tango yogurt smoothie.  We're currently attempting to bottle it, while keeping it frozen, so we can sell it worldwde and all retire to the Caribbean.

Grayce

Our newest addition to The Forest, she is quickly learning the ropes and has mastered the art of removing cash from customers' hands (aka, she can run the cash register), which, of course, is important to keep The Forest growing.  She sports a stylish, self-induced haircut while wearing wonky headbands that only one who is as cute as a button can really pull off.  Grayce hangs out part of the time in The Forest, and part of the time attending college and earning a degree on communication.