By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – As the weather turns colder, locals have a new spot to pick up specialty coffees at Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies.

The beverage shop, which has been open for about three weeks, is located in Snider’s Pharmacy off U.S. 280 in Chelsea.

Owner and pharmacist Doug Snider said he had always wanted to add a coffee bar adjacent to the pharmacy.

After Casey and Rachel Morris sold Ekklesia Coffee House in Chelsea, Casey Morris began working as a pharmacy technician for Snider. The Morrises had a non-compete agreement with the new owners of Ekklesia, so the coffee bar idea was put on hold. When Ekklesia was sold and became Chelsea Coffee House in September, the agreement ended, and Snider decided to move forward.

“We didn’t go for a full sit-down restaurant,” Snider said. “We’re a different venue or setting than the Chelsea Coffee House.”

Snider said Ground Up is convenient for pharmacy customers waiting to have prescriptions filled.

“When the pharmacy is busy, it may take 10 minutes to have a prescription filled, and what better way to spend your time than getting a cup of coffee?” Casey Morris said.

Customers can also call ahead and pick up coffee or a smoothie through the pharmacy drive-through window.

“It’s a great addition to an already great business,” Morris said.

In addition to specialty coffees like coconut mocha — Morris’ favorite — or white chocolate mocha, which is his wife’s favorite, the shop offers a variety of smoothies, including caramel-green apple, peachberry and orange Dreamscicle.

“Anything on our menu can be iced or blended,” Morris said of the coffee selection.

Morris said the experience was “bittersweet” when he and his wife sold Ekklesia more than a year ago.

“When we sold it, we thought maybe we’d do it again in 10 to 15 years,” Morris said, laughing. “I guess I’ve drank enough coffee that it’s in my blood now.”

Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies in Snider’s Pharmacy is open from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday to Friday and 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays; closed on Sundays. For more information, visit Facebook.com/groundupcoffeeandsmoothies.