Hidden Grounds Coffee Builds a Brand on the Backs of Dinosaurs
Hidden Grounds Coffee
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Hidden Grounds Coffee 〰️
There’s a misconception that in order to start a business, you need to be an expert in that industry before you open your doors. However, Hidden Grounds Coffee founders Tay Skidmore, Josh Skidmore, and Cait Skidmore have shown simply having a customer-centric mindset can be an even more powerful tool in building an iconic brand.
As UNCW grads, husband/wife Josh and Tay, and Josh’s sister Cait (who was also close friends with Tay) knew they wanted to stay in Wilmington and be a part of the community of small business owners downtown.
Dinosaurs roam freely in the “backyard oasis”.
It wasn’t until 2022 when they found the current Hidden Grounds property at 21 S 2nd Street. At the time, it was a retail shop called HeyTVM Art & Apparel. While visiting the shop, Tay, Josh, and Cait were blown away by the immense potential of the backyard. When the “For Rent” sign suddenly appeared in the front window one day, they knew the space needed to be used for something. Being big coffee fans, they decided on a coffee shop, essentially while they were on a call with the landlord to inquire about the property.
“We had talked about opening a coffee shop but we never knew when it would happen. We saw the opportunity for the space, and we knew if we ever wanted to open a shop this needed to be the space to do it, otherwise we would regret not going for it,” says Tay.
And while the team was excited about the potential of the space, Tay recalls being apprehensive at the idea of opening a shop without having a formal background in coffee.
“The only thing we really knew about coffee was what we liked from a consumer standpoint, we were not from the coffee industry at all. It was terrifying.”
Josh, Cait, and Taylor Skidmore pose in front of the shop in its early days. (Photo by Miriah Hamrick)
Nonetheless, the trio eagerly dove headfirst into a year-long renovation. The first step was a massive overhaul of the back garden, transforming the area into what they call the “backyard oasis”.
In a play on “coffee grounds” and in reference to the hidden garden behind the storefront, “Hidden Grounds” was decided on as the name prior to development of the logo. The team landed on dinosaur themed branding simply to catch more eyeballs, since it matched the jungle-laden backyard area. A cowboy was also incorporated into the logo to pay homage to Josh and Cait’s dad, a “Marlboro Man” who worked for Phillip Morris for 30 years.
While the team felt like they had created something special, they were cautious of the overarching theme feeling corny or cheesy, verging more into “Rainforest Cafe” energy vs. the distinct vibe the shop has today.
“We knew the logo was really cool looking, but we wondered if it would actually resonate with people or if they would just think it was silly.”
The menu was tackled next - which looks like something a bartender, barista, and mad scientist would’ve crafted in collaboration. It combines a list of standard classics with outside the box concoctions like the “Cold Fashioned”, a caffeinated, non-alcoholic take on an old fashioned; with bitters, cold brew ice, and espresso. Another favorite is the “Nanner Puddin’ Latte” - which is a crossover of banana and coffee, something Cait notes “is as polarizing as pineapple on pizza”. Funny enough, it would later become one of the most popular drinks on the menu.
The first weekend in business came on Saturday, September 23rd of 2023. And due to some organic promotion from local influencers following the grand opening that Monday, there was a line stretching down 2nd Street to the front door of the shop. Josh describes this as a true “sink or swim” moment.
“The first rush was before any of the learning curves had set in. We were flying by the seat of our pants, and when we saw the line down the street we knew we didn’t have an option - we had to find a way to make it work. ”
In those early days the team recalls running across the street to Village Market to buy additional ice every 30 minutes, and making frequent runs to local grocery stores during shop hours for supplies, just to keep up with demand.
The “backyard oasis”.
After four months of working with a staff comprised simply of the three founders, they began to add full time team members. And with this, the Hidden Grounds atmosphere started to fully take shape.
Contrary to the sleepy, cozy, lo-fi vibes you’ll find in most coffee shops - when you walk through the doors at Hidden Grounds on a Saturday morning, you’ll likely be greeted to some throwback hits or rap bangers thumping through the speakers. It’s a party as soon as you walk in the doors. The bar, which was strategically crafted as an open concept, allows staff to engage with customers immediately.
“We encourage our team to open up the conversation with customers to find out people’s flavor profile and provide recommendations. Sometimes, coffee shops can be intimidating, and we want ours to be as friendly as possible.”
The strategy and hard work to craft the shop’s unique experience has paid off, landing Hidden Grounds at number 93 on Yelp’s top 100 Coffee Shops in the US List for 2025.
Main bar inside. You can probably hear the music through this picture.
Hidden Grounds aims to be as inviting as possible to Wilmington locals and visitors alike, even when your visitors may be globally successful musicians.
When the musician Hozier stayed in Wilmington for a few days leading up to his concert on May 14th, 2024 - he made Hidden Grounds his coffee shop of choice each morning. During his show at Live Oak Amphitheater, he decided to give Hidden Grounds an unsolicited shoutout while on stage.
“Out of nowhere during his show he said “I just want to thank all of my friends at Hidden Grounds for taking care of me this week,” and we were mind-blown. It was a really cool moment.”
Hozier playing his show at Live Oak Amphitheater in 2024 (photo by Montana Donahue)
While it isn’t necessarily uncommon for a coffee shop to drop merchandise, it is certainly uncommon for the merchandise itself to gain traction on its own.
What started as just one hat and t-shirt has expanded to an entire merch line now called Hidden Threads, with new designs dropping regularly with clothing, hats, bags, mugs, and even a “latte candle”. Merchandise has continued to grow within the brand’s portfolio as a major part of the business, with plans to expand the clothing line in the future.
“Designing the merch is super fun for us, and we love bouncing ideas off each other. To see people embrace and wear your designs is so cool.”
A couple goodies from the merch line.
The iconic logo and branding has become a symbol of Wilmington to some extent. Many residents can be seen donning the “Dino Cowboy” logo in and around the Port City, and Tay notes those visiting typically take something home as a souvenir. It’s not uncommon to see Hidden Grounds merchandise while traveling to other places across the country.
The growth has been significant domestically in the United States, but has also expanded internationally, as the team says they have even fulfilled orders in Europe.
“It has taken on a life of its own for sure. We opened a coffee shop, and a clothing brand also came out of it.”
The entry way from the shop to the backyard oasis.
As far as the future goes for Hidden Grounds, the surface is just being scratched for what is to come. Expansion continues locally, through leveraging their mobile coffee cart at Bigger’s Market, and running a pop up at their alma mater of UNCW in January and February of 2026. Most recently, a collaboration was also executed alongside Wandering Cone Creamery to produce a seasonal ice cream based off Hidden Grounds “Salty Dino” Latte.
The search for a second permanent location in Wilmington is ongoing as well.
Among all of the fun branding, tens of thousands of social media followers, eclectic menu items, and shoutouts from famous musicians… there is one thing Josh wants people to know, especially the coffee purists out there.
“We are active on social media, and many people see us as the fun and cute brand on Instagram and TikTok. But our coffee is genuinely great and we stand behind the product. We encourage anyone to try it out. ”
With beans sourced from PERC Coffee Roasters in Savannah, GA - the Hidden Grounds team backs their more classic drinks like cappuccinos as much as they do their fun coffee creations. Be sure to stop by and see what the hype is all about.
Keep up with Hidden Grounds on Instagram to stay posted on what is next!