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Tiffany Patrick continues to operate Leaders' Corner Coffee & Tea in Columbiana, bringing together bold flavors of coffee and food to the tight-knit community of Columbiana. (For Columbiana Living/Jeremy Raines)

By STEPHEN DAWKINS | Magazine Contributor

In a place like Columbiana, a storefront on Main Street is almost sacred. With it comes a responsibility to not just sell antiques or flowers or whatever the case may be, but to serve as an integral part of the community.

With a name that is a tribute to the space’s long-time and fondly-remembered tenant, Leaders’ Corner Coffee & Tea is not only front and central at the intersection of Main Street and College Street, but a critical part of Columbiana’s unique community feel.

The idea for Leaders’ Corner began when Bob Kuehner was looking for administrative offices for his Amazing Kids Management Group, which manages School for Amazing Kids childcare locations in Alabaster, Calera and two in Helena. The space in Columbiana was purchased, and they began building out the offices with large meeting spaces.

“But [Kuehner] started looking around and thinking this is a lot of space to not really do much of anything with,” said Tiffany Patrick, general manager and operating partner for Leaders’ Corner. “So then, there was the thought, ‘We do all of our business meetings in coffee shops, we don’t ever just meet in an office, and there’s not one here in Columbiana, so why don’t we open one?'”

The name Leaders’ Corner pays homage to the department store, Columbiana Leader, that was so prominent in Columbiana for decades. Kuehner writes on the Leaders’ Corner web page that leadership can be defined as “influence,” which parallels the mission of Amazing Kids to influence the world for a return that pleases God.

“We want this place to serve this community. We want it to be special. We want people to smile fondly when they think of us as they consider where to get a great cup of coffee, breakfast or lunch. And we want them to grin with delight as they come through the door and hang out with us, over and over,” Kuehner said.

‘Maybe I’d be interested’

The space, name and a business plan were in place, but Kuehner needed someone to handle the day-to-day operations of the coffee shop. That’s where Patrick came in.

Patrick was working as an assistant director of the School for Amazing Kids location in Pelham, but the location was closing. She requested to talk with Kuehner about the coffee shop position—but for a friend and not herself.

“I’ve always been in more of a support role. Being the one in charge has never really been my thing,” Patrick said. “But my friend passed on the opportunity, and pretty much for the rest of that weekend, it was truly just the Holy Spirit poking at me and saying, ‘I’ve prepared you for this.’ You can’t ignore that nudge for long.”

Well, much has happened between the decision to install Patrick in her position and the business today. First, Patrick had to learn how to make coffee—she had no experience in the area and had never operated an espresso machine.

“Am I a coffee lover? Yes. Coffee fanatic? Yeah. Maybe coffee addict might be the right word to describe it,” Patrick said. “Obviously, I’ve learned a lot more about the science behind the coffee, and I’m the kind of person that loves that side of things, too.

“I absolutely love this job. I love what I do here. I love the relationships that I’m building in this community.”

‘We like to have fun…throw a few flavors together’

In the beginning, the offerings were simple: coffee drinks and a few basic breakfast croissants. The menu now includes breakfast entrees like a breakfast bowl, loaded grits and avocado toast; lunch options like the Leaders BLT and paninis; and salads and pastries.

Many of the menu items have interesting stories and/or were developed and named by employees, like the Spicy Shelby. A former employee made herself a sandwich for lunch that had rotisserie seasoned chicken, pepper jack cheese and a homemade fire sauce on Italian bread. The item is now a favorite among customers.

“We like to have fun,” Patrick said. “So we just play around, throw a few flavors together and see what happens. And then it’s great—or we say, ‘Nope, not doing that one again.'”

Coffee drinks include all the staples you would expect in a coffee shop, along with teas and smoothies.

The coffee is roasted to exacting specifications by a specialty roaster in the hills of Tennessee, lovingly called the “happy hippies.”

Various coffee drinks have been added through the years. There are always seasonal options and even special requests that aren’t on the menu.

Patrick credits Kuehner with much of the creativity.

“He is the visionary. He can come up with the stories that pull people in, and the big ideas. And I’m like, we’re already doing these other things. But my attention to detail and fine-tuning things to make it work, I think that’s really what creates a great partnership.”

‘Avenue for a bigger ministry’

Part of the mission of Leaders’ Corner is to support the community. The business participates in events including Monster Walk and Public Safety Day, and you’ll see Leaders’ Corner coffee and perhaps food at other happenings—Patrick even offered breakfast for a fishing tournament at Beeswax.

“I love the fact that we are able to be such a supporter of the community—being able to get involved in as many community activities as we can,” Patrick said.

But even beyond the event are the day-to-day opportunities. Patrick said she feels like the businesses on Main Street have a synergy that benefits all. “It creates a dynamic of being able to work together as a team,” she said. “It’s not a competition.”

The shop’s introduction to the community was the Columbiana Christmas parade in 2021.

“We didn’t even have a computer yet to take orders. We were just giving away coffee and meeting people, saying, ‘Hi, this is who we are. This is what this is going to become.’ And just watching over the course of three years what is has become: a conversational staple for people. ‘Oh, yeah, let’s go meet over at the Leader.’ Or, ‘Let’s do lunch at Leaders’ Corner.’ I love that it has become such a part of the community so quickly. I feel like I’ve been here a lot longer than three years. It’s hard to believe.”

Patrick cherishes the friendships she has made through the coffee shop.

“It is less of a coffee shop where I am serving customers, and it’s more like an extension of my home that I’m inviting guests into,” Patrick said. “I want everyone who comes in here to be able to feel that. I like to figure out what somebody is going to order without them actually having to ask for it. It’s a small thing, but people absolutely love that. They’re like, ‘I have a usual!'”

Sometimes, the regulars are handling difficult business at the Shelby County Courthouse just down the road.

“I don’t know how many times God has opened up an opportunity for a conversation because someone has walked in and I can tell there are tears in their eyes,” she said. “I’ve had people come through that are on the way to a custody case, or going through a divorce or some other moment they never thought they’d have in their life. And they stopped here first, and I was able to give them a hug, pray with, or just words of encouragement. I don’t feel like I’m here to run a business. I feel like this is a calling here in this community with these people: How can I be the hands and feet of Christ here in this town through what God has blessed us with here at Leaders’ Corner? This is the just an avenue for a bigger ministry.”

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