The PITCH features a new coffee shop, offering a space for student-run businesses.

Blue House Cafe, a student-run coffee shop in Chapel Hill, held its official launch on Monday. The cafe was founded by three UNC juniors Rebecca Felicelli, Alex Christian and Gabriela Silva.

The coffee shop is located at The PITCH on 462 West Franklin Street where The Pit Comedy Club once was.

Felicelli said that the desire to gain hands-on experience motivated the founding of Blue House Cafe.

“Since Alex, Gabi and myself are business students, it was a tangible way to really get to know business outside of the classroom,” she said.

The PITCH is owned by alumnus Mike Griffin, who graduated from Kenan-Flagler Business School. He helped found UNC’s chapter of Delta Sigma Phi and was a part of the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity.

Griffin said he was inspired to start The PITCH as a way to offer the entrepreneurship opportunities that he had during his time at UNC to current students.

“The hope is to have various pop-up enterprises like Blue House Cafe, and other things for students to have the ability to test their product and their entrepreneurship,” he said.

Griffin noted that for these students, opening Blue House Cafe is a low-risk option since rent is based on the business' revenue after wages are distributed. So, if the business doesn't make money, the students won't have to pay rent.

Felicelli initially approached Griffin, who is on the Kenan-Flagler Board of Advisors, with the idea of running a coffee shop out of The PITCH.

When Griffin bought the building in 2019, it already had a coffee bar built inside, complete with a cappuccino machine. 

"That part made it easy in the context that we already kind of had the initial hardware," Griffin said.

The cafe, which had its initial opening in November, has current operating hours Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Our target customer is a UNC student either getting out of class or before class or between classes stopping by to grab a good cup of coffee,” Christian said.

Silva said she is still figuring out the work-life balance between running Blue House Cafe and being a student.

“Right now, I don't think there's a true balance,” she said. “But I make sure that during class I'm paying attention, and in-between classes and after class time is when I start to look into the business.”

Going forward, Griffin and the students have several ideas for Blue House Cafe. He has already made some changes to the space, such as upgrading the projection system and repainting both the interior and exterior.

“What we've done so far is refresh the paint,” Griffin said. “Previously it was red and gold, and now it's more favorable colors to being a Tar Heel — grays and light blues and blues.”

Griffin said he has plans to further upgrade the space for hosting events by refinishing the seats and installing a video system with a mixing board.

In the future, the students said their goals include expanding their hours, increasing brand awareness and selling their own branded coffee beans on-site. Silva also hopes to feature local talent by hosting live music and selling art in the cafe.

“Short term, we would like to partner with more community organizations, restaurants and shops around the area,” Silva said. “Long term, I'm thinking that this could be a great place to gather the community in Chapel Hill and UNC.”

Silva, Christian and Felicelli students hope that Blue House Cafe will be a business they can pass along to younger students.

To Silva, Blue House Cafe is more than just a learning experience.

“We want to be a place for coffee and community,” she said. “I think that is our number one goal.”

@sarahchxi

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com