Open Eye Café is a staple community space in Carrboro, North Carolina, known for its welcoming atmosphere and commitment to high-quality specialty coffee. It serves as the primary retail outlet for Carrboro Coffee Roasters, which roasts coffee on-site and maintains direct trade relationships with farmers globally.
Ownership
Open Eye Café is an independent, family-owned business founded by Elizabeth Justus and Scott Conary. It operates as a flagship location for their associated roasting company, Carrboro Coffee Roasters.
Founded
1999
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house (also names Carrboro Coffee Roasters as a partner).
What it's known for
Serving as a long-standing community hub in Carrboro, often referred to as 'Carrboro's living room,' and acting as the flagship cafe for the highly regarded Carrboro Coffee Roasters.
Sourcing countries
Honduras · Ethiopia · Mexico
Farm-level sourcing
The brand utilizes a 'Farmer Direct Relationship' program, frequently naming specific farms, producers, and cooperatives such as Finca Jazmin and COMUCAP. They offer both single-origin coffees sourced through these direct partnerships and curated blends.
Notable coffees
— Finca Jazmin (Honduras)
— Finca El Pinabetal (Honduras)
In the news
Recent news and media coverage about Open Eye Café, as documented by outside outlets. We link to the original reporting and do not rewrite or endorse it.
This feature article profiles Carrboro Coffee Roasters and its owner, Scott Conary, highlighting the company's commitment to ethical sourcing and industry improvement. The piece identifies Open Eye Cafe as one of the roastery's flagship locations in the local community.
Carrboro Coffee Roasters and Open Eye Cafe announced they would host the first-ever U.S. World Coffee Championships Judge Skills Program in August 2026. The educational event was designed to train participants on the evaluation methods and scoring systems used in global coffee competitions.
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-11-04. This company overview is not a tasting review. Original tasting reviews are labeled separately when they exist. Ownership, roasting and sourcing details are attributed to documented sources. While the brand provides extensive information on its direct trade relationships and specific farms, a comprehensive list of all current single-origin offerings is not static as they rotate frequently.
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