Rebus Works — Local services in Raleigh

I adore this place and the people in it.

The first time I visited, it was a cold Raleigh morning and immediately upon entering, the aroma of freshly-made coffee and the delicate creak of the well-worn hardwood flooring made me feel welcomed and connected. Their hot chocolate game is on point, and I left feeling warmed in spirit. It was like a cozy nook on the outskirts of the city.

The second time, I visited on a summer morning to grab a breakfast bite and some drinks to go. The staff are all kind and make a true effort to connect with their customers, and their breakfast biscuit "Sammy" was a perfect blend of flaky, buttery, and hearty.

They carry a wonderful mix of small business and locally-owned food and grocery items, both refrigerated and non, and you won't find a major national brand on the shelves.

I will support them as frequently as I can. The world needs...

Unfriendly. Upon arriving, I ordered a coffee and pastry. I was scoffed at when I told them medium, instead of the ounce size, and was quickly corrected. And met with big attitude (“uhh, well, I guess I can do that.”) when I asked if my pastry could be warmed. This is standard at all other coffee shops I go to! The place was practically empty (2 other people) the hour I was there going through emails. My husband went here a few weeks ago, and he had to wait for another employee to finish sweeping before he was even addressed, and was going to get a painting framed here. Then told he couldn’t talk to the framer, even though she was in the back, and that he’d have to email. Also, the place is completely overgrown and unkept outdoors. Neither of us...

I came here to purchase from the gluten-free vendor Rising Thistle. Got a bagel and decided to have something with it from the counter. I chose the chicken salad sandwich and requested they use my bagel instead of their bread. The fellow charged me the full price for a sandwich as though I had purchased it as advertised on the menu. But I had provided the $3 bagel which was safe for me to eat. He said the vendor was not affiliated with them and they had gluten-free bread (which was not clearly stated on the menu) and that bread cost them a dollar. He finally took $1 off the cost of the sandwich. So I got my bagel topped with what looked like two tablespoons of chicken salad - and nothing else - for a...