GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Coffee lovers in Green Valley will soon have a new place to grab a cup — and the owners hope they'll stay awhile.
VIDEO: Watch below as I visit the future home of Fellowship Coffee Co.
Fellowship Coffee Company is set to open this September at their new location on Esperanza, between Arizona Family Restaurant and the Comfort Inn hotel, just off Interstate 19.
Owners Isaiah Yaiva and Clarissa Carrillo said construction is scheduled to begin next week as they transform the space into what they envision as more than just another coffee shop.
"We're excited to bring great quality coffee that this community needs," the owners said. "This will be for all those real coffee lovers and not the cups full of sugar. Sometimes simple is better."
Unlike many modern coffee chains, Fellowship Coffee Company will not have a drive-thru.
Instead, Yaiva said the goal is to encourage customers to reconnect over coffee.
"Our mission is to bring people in our community together to slow down a little, sit down and enjoy the experience that coffee brings," the owners said.
The name Fellowship is inspired by their desire to help people re-connect.
"Deep relationships often start with a shared understanding of something, and when you take, like breaking bread with someone, or in this case sharing a cup of coffee, that always helps make relationships more meaningful," said Yaiva.
The shop plans to partner with a local coffee roaster that prepares its coffee in-house, with an emphasis on high-quality, straightforward coffee.
Yaiva told me he and Carrillo have owned small businesses before (he a landscaping company and she a special needs school in Green Valley), but Fellowship Coffee Company will be their first coffeehouse venture.
He described fellowship as the heart of the business — the kind of friendship and connection he shares with his wife, whom he calls his best friend.
"I cannot do anything without my wife. She is literally my best friend...the better part of me and the smarter part of me," he said.
The couple said they've spent a long time planning the business and hope it becomes a welcoming gathering spot where neighbors can relax, socialize and build community.
If construction stays on schedule, Green Valley residents can expect Fellowship Coffee Company to open its doors in September.
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