South Front Business Rebrands With New Focus on Coffee, Community

Following a recent rebranding, the owners of the former Bodega Market on Wilmington’s South Third Street have a new focus on coffee and community.

In mid-September, the business at 1222 S. Third St. launched its new name – Current – on its social media pages. According to General Manager Nolan DeBerry, the rebrand marks a shift from operating as a neighborhood market to a focus on coffee and events.

The Bodega Market changed hands last fall when Jason Greene – DeBerry’s father-in-law – bought the business, which Ryan and Jessica Horne opened in the fall of 2020.

During the first few months, the new owners operated under the Bodega Market name but experimented with their offerings and hours, DeBerry said. That included dropping the business’s take-and-bake offerings and other prepared food items and offering late-night hours for a short time. Eventually, DeBerry and Greene decided to lean into offering quality coffee along with beer, wine and some food.

“Over the year of just learning everything and just finding out what the community wants, we’ve dialed in on coffee, beer and wine and then we have our snacks,” DeBerry said.

That meant removing many of the refrigerators that once held Bodega Market’s prepared food options and adding more indoor seating to accommodate remote workers who often come into the shop. DeBerry and Greene have also added a new coffee bar and rebranded as Current, a name that signifies the area’s connection to the ocean, to mark the shift, DeBerry said.

The coffee shop sees a “good amount” of foot traffic, according to DeBerry, with about half of its customers coming from the nearby South Front Apartments and surrounding neighborhoods. The business is also looking to host new events, including markets, festivals and movie nights. Its indoor and outdoor space is available to rent for private events.

Current offers standard coffee drinks, including lattes and cappuccinos, along with seasonal specialty drinks. It also offers a selection of craft beers, wine, sodas and some pre-packaged food items.

For DeBerry, the business offers a spot for those in the neighborhood to hang out and build community.

“I really try to emphasize the vibes here,” he said. “It’s real relaxed, very open …  just come on in, hang out for the day.”

Current is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s open on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.