News & Events

Our American love affair with specialty coffees started back in the 1960s.  Baby boomers discovered that the local cafés and coffee shops were the perfect place to gather, chat, perform live music and poetry, and create a counterculture.  In Berkeley, California, Peet’s Coffee and Tea introduced artisan roasting styles that began setting trends, and in 1971 two business partners in Seattle first sold specialty roasted beans under the name “Starbucks”.

Of the roughly 100 million daily coffee drinkers in the United States, about a third would rather sip espresso drinks like cappuccinos and lattes than a simple cup of Java.  And another third like their coffee black.

The coffee culture has something for everyone and attracts new converts every day.  And residents of NC mountain communities are no exception.  If you think moving to The Coves Mountain River Club means giving up the coffee shop environment you’ve come to love, think again.

At one time, we might have called Highland Coffee House Lenoir’s “best kept secret”.  But it wasn’t secret for long.  Word quickly got around about this downtown gem, with its 39 flavors of coffee beans and 20 specialty teas.  And when the owners added fresh-baked breads and pastries, they earned even more praise. 

Soon, visitors looking for NC mountain cabins for sale will be delighted to discover that what they believed was only a fixture of urban life had become one of the most popular things to do in Lenoir NC.

Family-owned Highland Coffee House occupies a beautiful building right on Main Street, nestled in small town surroundings.  Inside, it’s warm and friendly.  A comfortable lounge beckons you to relax in front of the fireplace.  Read, chat or use the free wi-fi.  And there’s meeting space available.  The works of local artist Charlie Frye adorn the walls, and his studio is right upstairs. 

The air’s rich with the sweet aroma of cookies, cakes and fresh bread that regular patrons travel miles to savor.  The atmosphere’s very laid back, and the owner’s happy to answer your questions and discuss the finer points of their remarkable selection of beans.

In addition to the four coffee flavors featured daily, they serve smoothies and gourmet hot chocolate.  The brew at Highland Coffee House has been called the best you can find between Boone and Hickory.  They bake one of the moistest cakes in the mountains.  And their prices are very easy on the wallet.  Why spend more and get less somewhere else?

As one customer put it, her first visit to Highland Coffee House was like “finding a pearl in the sand”.

Of course, that could apply to much of what makes the foothills area so special.  No matter what your mental image of NC mountain communities might be, pleasant surprises await you around every corner.  Many who chose to build a mountain home at The Coves Mountain River Club in Lenoir were astonished to learn how much there is to do in the area.  And it just keeps getting better.

Our location on five miles of Johns River frontage near Wilson Creek provides easy access to popular fishing sites, boating, swimming and more.  Pisgah Mountain Lodge is the perfect finish to an exciting day. Our great gathering place for neighbors where residents enjoy special activities such as cooking demonstrations by local chefs, themed events and games. 

Living here, you really do get the best of both worlds.  The air is fresh, the skies are clear, there’s mild weather all year long, and the stress level is zero.  But we’re still close enough to mountain towns and metropolitan cities that you can easily get there if you need to.

If you’re in the area looking at NC mountain cabins for sale, be sure to stop by The Coves Mountain River Club for a tour and see what our design team has been able to create for others like yourself.

And be sure to treat yourself to a visit to Highland Coffee House, one of our favorite hometown things to do in Lenoir NC.

If you’re exploring the area for the first time, ask for our 70 page complimentary Western North Carolina Visitor’s Guide which provides more information about living in the foothills.