Sandwiched between the many pubs and quirky antique shops of downtown Greensboro, it's hard to miss The Green Bean Coffeehouse. The old brick building, true to its name, is painted an eye-catching green with large front windows. It peers into this diverse hub for students, artists, musicians and the loyal customers who have made the shop their everyday spot for a cup o' joe.

But The Green Bean tries to fit the green theme as much as possible. Inside, customers are welcomed by warmly lit olive-green walls. In the newly popular "go green" sense of the word, the coffeehouse abides by only fair trade coffee, with 90 percent being all-organic roasts. All of the pastries served are from Greensboro's local bakeries.

The inside of the house is full of character and inspiration.

"One of the things we pride ourselves on is our diverse clientele base, the wide variety of artists and old and young professionals that make Greensboro 'Greensboro,'" said Zeke Vantreese, the store's manager of three years.

Local artists' paintings cover the walls. Funky-patterned whitewashed metal panels make up the high ceilings while aged, caramel-colored hardwood stretches across the deep space all the way back to a quaint back porch area where customers can sit beneath hanging flowers.

The Green Bean is also a popular, low-key music venue. The back of the house is home to a small stage, where many local and up-and-coming artists play gigs. Instead of charging for admission, the house fosters up-and-coming musicians by charging a $3-5 fee that goes completely to the artists and bands that play there.

The Green Bean has helped several up-and-coming artists get their start. Seven years ago, Green Bean founder Pete Schroth booked North Carolina natives and folk band, The Avett Brothers, to play a gig at the coffeehouse. Schroth is now the tour manager for the band, who recently performed alongside Bob Dylan and Mumford and Sons at the 2011 Grammy Awards.

The coffeehouse is a spot for nightlife, staying open until 11 p.m. on the weekends and serving wine and beer on tap, along with 25 bottled beers and microbrews.

"We are a super dynamic place and we represent a lot of different things, from morning coffee to a place to party to a quiet place to study," Vantreese said.

For the regular customers that the house "thrives on," the spot is also a place to start the day inspired, stay awake, and, as the large sign above the door reads, "Have a good one"