Behind Recharge South Haven: A Conversation with Seth Greenwald
- behindthebusinesss
- Sep 23
- 5 min read
They say that all new industries have to start somewhere, and for Seth Greenwald, owner of Recharge South Haven, his venture into the electric vehicle (EV) industry is starting with a good cup of coffee. Located in the Haven Market in downtown South Haven, Recharge’s current way of business is to provide coffee, espresso drinks, nitro cold brew, organic smoothies, and gelato to vacationers and residents in South Haven and the surrounding areas.
Looking ahead, Recharge South Haven aims to develop a large parking lot equipped with high-speed charging for electric vehicles, along with healthy food options, drinks, pet relief areas, and other amenities. Seth says the idea originated from his travels, particularly from seeing upscale rest stops in Europe and feeling frustrated by the lack of charging stations in the U.S.
“I was over there [Europe] years ago and noticed that the rest stops in Spain were a lot nicer in the respect that I can get healthier sandwiches, snacks and grab-and-go items versus your traditional rest stop here in the US…..access to a charger came out of a lot of driving across the country and being in remote areas of the United States and not being able to find a gas station with a charger.”
Seth added that the thought of moving forward with the project arose from further frustration while traveling with a woman he was dating at the time.
“I remember it would constantly be an issue, like, where we were going to charge up, and when we did, it was in the most random place, and rarely could you get a cup of coffee, or a drink, or something to eat, and things for the road….this idea is kind of those two worlds melding together.
Seth had minimal experience in the food and beverage industry before opening Recharge,
so why start with Coffee? And Why South Haven? He originally planned to launch his larger vision in 2026—even looking at properties in South Haven, where an EV Parking lot could be built; however, his love for beach communities and impatience to get things started got the better of him. Serving up coffee seemed like a simple way to get the overall idea for the business, buzzing throughout the community.
“I was like, I want to be up there. I want to do something. At least getting the name out there in some capacity. I want to do something in South Haven, like ASAP. I also like the idea of having the coffee part of it in different, unique locations.”
Eager to get started, Seth reached out to the owners of Vintage Inn at Verita’s Estate after seeing one of their posts on Facebook.
“Sherry and her husband Tim, they’re winemakers, and Sherry had posted she was going to be one of the vendors at the Haven Market. And it was kind of a new concept and everything. And I was like, ah, interesting, I wonder if they're looking for other vendors, so I reached out to the Haven market's email, whatever they had on Facebook, and Shelly and I started talking, and I came out and I met with Michelle and her husband Johnny. And yeah, it kind of started building from there.”
Since opening in June, Seth said there haven’t been any major surprises or stressful incidents at the business so far.
“The biggest stress going into it was just like, am I going to have the stamina and the ability to do this? I'm learning it. You know, you're learning this brand new espresso machine…..but you have to also turn a quality drink. So there is a lot of, I say, nerves around that, and the initial ordering and stuff.”
One thing that did catch him off guard, however, was the huge crowd in South Haven over the Fourth of July weekend. According to WWMT News, about 70,000 people visited the town, which usually has just 4,000 residents. Like many other businesses in South Haven during that time, he said things got a bit overwhelming. At one point, he even ran out of most of the ingredients needed for drinks.
“I was given ample warnings by people who live in town and know what's going on, but I could not have anticipated that. So that was a little daunting, but yeah, we survived.”
Seth still lives in Chicago but travels to South Haven often, staying with friends when he’s in town. He said the two-hour drive helps him clear his mind and listen to music, which eases daily stress. Support from his family helps, too.
At home, he is a dad to his 15-year-old daughter. He said juggling both roles feels a bit strange, but he gained some perspective after talking with his barber.
“It's like I go back there and I'm dad. And I'm not dad here…..he broke it down like there are different phases of life. He's like, you know, you're a son, you're a husband, a father, and doing this, now you're a business owner…..it kind of helped me breathe a little bit.”
Ultimately, the long-term goal is to build an EV lot; however, Seth expressed a desire to become more involved in the community. Ideally, he would like to partner with community-based organizations and charity foundations that provide food and address dietary needs for children.
With five other coffee shops in town, differentiation between them can become blurred; however, Seth said that what sets his shop apart from the rest is the partnersh
ip with Haven Market and all it has to offer. As a business owner, what he loves the most is interacting with customers every day and constantly learning new things. Additionally, he said he would advise those who may want to start their own business to have an interest to learn anything and everything, don’t be so quick to outsource things you may not be able to do, be open-minded to ideas when running your business, and don’t spend money until you have to.
“It's been nothing but work, but I could not be happier getting up at 4:30 in the morning, driving here from Chicago. I love doing it, and I love this town. And as I spend more time here, I'm discovering so much in South Haven, and I’m trying to put myself out there and meet a lot of people. I think we have very good coffee beans and I think a very good cup of coffee and other great things to offer the community.”
Be sure to stay up to date with Recharge South Haven by following them on Facebook and Instagram.
IG: @rechargesouthhaven
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