For me, nothing hits the spot like a fresh cup of coffee and a pastry right out of the oven.
The Coffee Depot, a cafe and bakery, will open in March in Starkville at the old BJ’s Family Pharmacy location at 223 S. Jackson St., owner Sarah Morgan Pellum said.
Pellum told me she developed a love for the business model while working at a coffee bar in New York over the summer. When she came home, she decided to open her own cafe.
“I’ve always wanted to open a coffee shop but didn’t think it was a possibility,” she said. “I just really fell in love with it and fell in love with the service side of it.
But Pellum isn’t alone in the venture. Her father, Doug, said she came to him for help with the project and they have been working together ever since to get it off the ground. Doug, of Columbus, owns Zachary’s Restaurant among other ventures.
“I really just wanted to help her get started,” he said. “But this is her baby and she is the one doing it.”
Sarah said the business is waiting to receive its permits to begin working on the building. Once open, she plans to offer gluten-free options at the cafe, like pastries and other goods, which she believes Starkville could use more of.
“There’s just a lot of things that I want to incorporate that I feel Starkville doesn’t have very much of, like gluten-free baked goods and smoothie bowls,” she said. “So, really, it’s the dream I’ve been dreaming for years and it’s finally coming true.”
Elsewhere in Starkville, Owens Outfitters, an outdoor sports store located at 311 Hwy. 12 W. in the State Shopping Center, is planning to move to a new location soon, owner Jared Owens said.
Owens said the business is looking to move to a better location and will potentially work with another local business in town to grow and serve more customers. However, he can only release further details once the deal is signed, sealed and delivered.
“It’s a transition for us,” Owens said. “We have not thrown in the towel yet. But actually, we are going to connect with another local business. But that’s not been done legally yet, and there’s been no paperwork signed. We’re just in a transition and we’re moving out of this location.”
After those awesome updates, it might be time for a trim.
Well, thank goodness Sport Clips, located at 667 Hwy. 12 W. inside the Triangle Crossing Shopping Center, held its grand opening Wednesday.
“Sport Clips offers our clients the expertise of well-trained stylists in a fun, casual environment where they can enjoy watching sports on TV during their haircut,” owner Laura Merritt said. “We’re looking forward to introducing clients to our services and distinctive experience. The Sport Clips concept is growing across the country, and we’re proud to make it a part of Starkville’s retail community.”
Sports Clips is a sporty-themed haircut business with around 1,900 locations in the United States and Canada.
It wouldn’t be a tasty edition of Goings on With Grant without an update to satiate the palette. Well, fear not. Bluto’s Greek Tavern at 511 University Drive is holding its grand opening today.
Owner Michele Fant previously told me how excited she was to bring a new flavor to Stark Vegas, so I am happy to report the restaurant is coming in hot with a mix of classic and fusion Greek cuisine. I, for one, cannot wait to give them a try.
Moving east into the friendly city, Jimmy Nabors opened Nabors Pool Company, a pool construction business, earlier this month.
Nabors said he had worked in pool construction for 34 years, during which time he worked for Sobley Pool Company. But come the beginning of the year, it was time to set up his own shop and start building pools for himself.
“We’ve been really blessed,” Nabors said. “I worked for Sobley for more than 30 years, and I feel good. It’s not really a whole lot different. I have handled everything anyway and managed, hired and fired. But at the end of the day I still was working for somebody, so I feel good.”
Katie McCrary, owner of McCrary West Construction, is now serving Columbus with new rental office spaces for businesses needing office space but not an entire building.
McCrary posted the office spaces on Facebook on Jan. 5. Those interested can message her on Facebook or by email for more information.
Finally, as all doors open, so too must they eventually close. Petty’s Classic Car Care, a car service at 806 Hwy. 45 N., has closed.
A former employee of the business said the business’s last day was Dec. 30.
I tried to contact owner Jessie Petty about why Petty’s closed but never heard back. I hope he and his team are doing well, and know they will be sorely missed.
Well, folks, that’s a wrap on this edition of Goings on With Grant. Make sure to check back in next week for more goings on in business.
Dispatch reporter Grant McLaughlin writes about business openings and closings, as well as other unique business news. Send business tips to biz@cdispatch.com.