Second Wave Coffee & Books
Lexington, SC
A non-profit employment initiative of The Arc of the Midlands
I am going to be honest with you. When I first heard about Second Wave Coffee & Books, what caught my attention was the combination. Coffee and used books in the same place. That is already a hard combination to beat. But what kept me there, and what keeps me going back, is not the coffee or the books. It is what this place actually does.
Second Wave is a non-profit employment initiative of The Arc of the Midlands. If you are not familiar with them, The Arc is an organization that supports individuals with disabilities, helping them build skills, find meaningful work, and live independently. Second Wave is their coffee shop and used bookstore, and it exists specifically to provide retail training and employment for adults with disabilities in the Midlands.
I do not know about you, but I think that is the kind of thing a community should be proud of. It is not a marketing angle. It is not a feel-good slogan on the wall. It is the actual reason the place exists, and you can see it in how the staff treat each other and how they treat customers. There is a genuine warmth here that you do not find in a lot of places.
And the coffee? It is good. Really good. They have got craft coffee, specialty drinks (the Berry Sweet Latte is something else, I will tell you), chai lattes that actually have flavor, and house-made baked goods that are gluten-free friendly. They also have beer on tap and wine, which makes it the kind of place you can go at different times of day for different reasons. Morning coffee, afternoon work session, evening drink with a friend. It all works.
They have free Wi-Fi, indoor seating that feels comfortable without trying too hard, and an outdoor space with a small creek, trees, and a nature walk. Honestly, the outdoor area alone is worth the trip. It is peaceful back there. The kind of spot where you sit down with a book and suddenly two hours have gone by.
Second Wave opened in late 2017, and in the years since, it has become one of those places that makes Lexington feel like a real community. If you are new to the area or just have not made it over there yet, put it on your list. It is coffee with a cause, and it is genuinely worth your time.
What to Order
The Berry Sweet Latte is one of those drinks you order on a whim and then think about for the rest of the week. It is sweet but not too sweet, and the fruit notes work with the espresso in a way that actually makes sense. If you are a chai person, theirs is legit. A lot of coffee shops phone in the chai. These folks do not.
The baked goods rotate, but they are always house-made and they always have gluten-free options that actually taste good. That matters more than most coffee shops seem to realize. And if you are coming in later in the day, they have a solid selection of craft beer and wine. It is the kind of menu that covers all the bases without trying to be everything to everyone.
And do not skip the books. It is a used bookstore in the same space, which means you can grab a drink, browse the shelves, and walk out with something you did not know you needed to read. That is a good afternoon, if you ask me.
Stop In and See for Yourself
Whether you are new to Lexington or you have lived here your whole life, Second Wave is worth a visit. Grab a coffee, browse the books, sit outside by the creek for a while. You will be glad you did.
529 S Lake Dr, Lexington, SC 29072
Jill Hydrick
REALTOR with EXIT Real Estate Consultants - SC License #102864
Nine years in real estate, 34 years in accounting. She knows the Midlands and she will tell you the truth about it.