By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – The Ekklesia Coffee House has new owners who are ready to serve the Chelsea community.

Chelsea resident Terri Gualano, chair of the Great Shelby Chamber of Commerce board of directors, and her fiancé, David Williams, purchased Ekklesia from previous owners, Casey and Rachel Morris.

“This is a Chelsea community coffee house,” Gualano said. “More and more people (in Chelsea) are not wanting to go over the mountain. We thought what the previous owners were doing was a really good idea.”

Williams said that in the two weeks the couple has owned the shop, they have been blessed with everything they were asking for.

“I said, ‘God, if you open the door, I’ll walk through it,’” Williams said. “It put me in an environment I want to be in.”

Gualano said she and Williams would be making changes to the business. She said she wants the shop to become a dessert destination for the community.

Ekklesia will be open to showcase local talent, whether musical entertainment or artwork, Williams said.

“We want you to come in and get your coffee, but you don’t have to be a coffee drinker. We also have free Wi-Fi, smoothies, iced coffees and donuts,” Gualano said.

The couple said they hope to offer a breakfast and lunch menu in the near future.

“We just want to be a sustainable business the community supports — a safe place to come and drink coffee,” Gualano said. “Instead of going to McDonald’s for a frappe, come here. It’s local.”

The Ekklesia Coffee House is located at 109 Foothills Parkway Suite 110, near the Chelsea Fire Department. During the summer, the shop’s hours are Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit Ekklesiacoffeehouse.com or call 678-4444 for more information.