Coffee, Community & Collaboration
Chris Hobdy brewing beans.
Jennifer Moonsong
Central Division
General Manager
Jobe Publishing, Inc.
Walking through the doors of Cave City’s new coffee shop, Black Magic, you will be warmly welcomed by the aroma of coffee beans, local art, and a quirky and unusual wall of plants. If it feels like an eclectic collaboration of ideas growing every day, that’s exactly what proprietor Chris Hobdy had in mind.
“This business release sprang from asking myself what I wanted to do every day, what I wanted to be around, and what I wanted to surround myself with,” said Hobdy.
Hobdy, a native of Mississippi by way of Nashville lives amongst the beauty and charm of South Central Kentucky, thanks to his fiancé who is a native of Glasgow. Together, they own and operate the Soma Center for Dance in Glasgow.
Up until 2021, Hobdy was using the historic storefront adjacent to the railroad tracks as a personal office space, but he saw a wealth of potential in the old building.
“I wanted to do something with this space, and it was make it or break it time,” he said. “Despite Covid, I feel like a lot of people are starting anew, and opening small businesses, and doing things that are community-oriented and it felt like it was time.”
During his Nashville days, Hobdy got acquainted with coffee baristas and a small locally-oriented bean roaster called Black Press Coffee Roasting located in Hendersonville. Black Magic offers four varieties of the small batch roaster’s beans.
Eventually, I hope to add some menu items as well as part of future goals. Although Black Magic has only been open a couple of weeks, it is already a diverse business.
One room of the building is dedicated as a vintage clothing retail space. Grandma’s Greenhouse from the Knob Lick area of neighboring Metcalfe County has supplied the exotic array of plant life, Simply Strings has supplied the vibrant artwork, and offerings from a local herbal apothecary are also available.
“It is a goal of mine to support female local business owners, especially with small businesses, it’s a matter of working with others to help create something and none of this would’ve been possible without them,” said Hobdy.
Ultimately though, Hobdy says he sees Black Magic as a community gathering place.
“I want people to come in and have a cup of coffee, work, visit, and talk. I can see maybe having a book club Sunday. We’re offering special events.”
Hobdy says that whatever way the business would like to grow is how he will allow it to grow.
Black Magic is open from 7-3. To learn more, follow them on Facebook.
Plants provided by Grandma’s Greenhouse and art provided by Simply Strings adorn Black Magic.
Owner Chris Hobdy said the natural light was part of what compelled him to open the doors.
