Kranky Cafe

The relationship between service industry jobs and artistic pursuits is one as old as time; they fuel and support each other in a kind of symbiotic partnership. Think of the creative types you know: the actor-slash-server; the musician-slash-bartender; or the filmmaker-slash-barista.

So then it's not surprising that Tondela Myles, owner of Kranky Cafe at 4th and Main, first worked in a coffee shop while completing two BFA degrees in film and painting. It was a job that fit her lifestyle, and it was a job that was fun.

"I worked at the Arbutus Cafe, first as a barista and then after a while I moved to the back as a baker, even though I had zero baking experience," Tondela explains. Growing organically with an established cafe made her decision to branch off on her own relatively easy. When the former Moss Street Cafe came up for sale, it just made sense for budding businesswoman to jump at the opportunity.

"We were looking for something existing and something that wouldn't be in direct competition," says Tondela. After some focused brainstorming sessions and decision making, Kranky Cafe was born in the heart of Mount Pleasant in 2010.