There are two kinds of people in this world:  those who love coffee, and those who don’t.  To all the people who don’t like coffee…..I don’t understand you.  To me, coffee is more than just a delicious caffeinated beverage.  It is warm comfort and rich happiness in a toasty mug, and it is equally satisfying enjoyed alone or in the company of friends.  It is the bridge that encourages the transition from strangers to friends.  Meeting for a cup of coffee….the universal invitation that everyone understands.  Just as wonderful as the drink is the coffee house.  There’s just something about stepping into a coffee house and letting that rich roasted aroma seep into your lungs….ahhhhhh.  Life is good :)  As a self-employed business owner, I am fortunate to have a mobile workspace.  My two requirements for a place to work are 1) coffee (the good kind!) and 2) wi-fi.  So I get to spend a lot of time in the local coffee houses, and I can’t think of a better place to get stuff done!  Not long ago, a new one came on the scene that totally rocked my world.  Generations Coffee House in downtown Columbiana recently opened their doors, and the world is now a better place.  Truly.  This is a company that believes in good coffee, good community, and good service.  Christian and Allison are a husband and wife team with a big dream they are bringing to life.  I LOVE everything about their mission statement:  “To create a space that facilitates personal relationships and community-wide growth; and to use high-quality, artisan coffee to promote discussion and learning.”  I am so excited to feature this incredible shop as a Small Business Spotlight, enjoy learning more about who they are and be sure to stop in and experience Generations for yourself!

 

How was the idea to start your own coffee shop planted? The city that Allison grew up in, Springfield Missouri, had several coffee shops which she would spend much of her free time with friends. Having a space to gather with friends inspired this dream. When Christian moved to Springfield he quickly became acquainted with these types of spaces and caught Allison’s same vision. The love of a gathering place came first and a passion for coffee grew with it.

 

 

Sustainability and eco-friendliness seem pretty important to you….what are ways you incorporate these ideals into your business? Most of our disposable goods are either compostable, recyclable or made from recycled material. From our cups to toilet paper we try to keep our landfill load small. We also give our used coffee grounds to a local farm, Zaney Pearl. The beans our roaster purchases come from farmers who are practicing sustainable farming as well.

 

 

Can you talk about the Third Place idea a bit? The concept, and how Generations is becoming the Third Place to its customers? The Third Place is simply a space created for community. “Third”comes from the idea that individuals need a place outside of work and home, which are their first and second places. There needs to be a space where we can either meet up with friends or can anticipate to make new ones. A space where new ideas are formed for the betterment of our community. A space where you feel at home, but you don’t have to do the dishes. Third Places were once part of neighborhoods all over, but started to disappear with the creation of housing developments. We want to bring the Third Place back!

 

 

Who supplies your coffee, and how did they play a part in training you when you were first learning? The Commonplace Coffee Co. in Pittsburgh. We love working with them. Not only do they roast coffee beans with skill and integrity, but they have walked through the process of opening Generations with us. We have spent several hours meeting personally with the owner who has trained and mentored us. Each week they contact us with which beans are available and keep us updated with the whole process. We really cannot express just how invaluable Commonplace has been in pursuing our dream.

 

 

Inviting community is a part of your mission statement. Other than featuring the art of local artists on your walls and selling local baked goods, how else do you involve your community or create a sense of community within Generations? This is something we are continually trying to develop. As far as local artisan work goes, all of our mugs are made by a home-potter that lives right here in Columbiana and we even contracted the work of one of our skilled customers to knit us coffee cozies. We also host events to engage the community at large. We host live music every Friday night and open ourselves for gatherings as small as business meetings or as large as organized forums. We also want the space to be inviting in and of itself, so that people want to meet others there. Making it a point to have conversation with our customers is important to us as well. Coffee is more than just a delicious beverage; it’s an open door to conversation and connection.

 

 

For amateur coffee buffs interested in brewing their own cup at home not in a standard coffee pot, do you have a recommendation for a method to try out? We personally started with a Hario v60 dripper and that is still our most common manual method at Generations. To get the most out of the experience we would also recommend a scale that measures grams and a hand grinder (such as Porlex). A kettle made for pour over coffee would be a bonus as well. Soon we plan to have a merchandise counter where we will sell all the equipment you need to make a great cup of coffee at home.

 

 

God was so clear about His vision from the beginning. At times it felt like we would never open or have enough money, but God always provided at the right time. We learned a lot about trust, constantly being reminded that this was God’s dream for us and not just our own. There’s so much we’re still learning and we are humbled more often than we’d like, but God has been so faithful and we are seeing our space become that “third place” that we have been dreaming of. It’s living, breathing theology and we are honored to be part of it.