Restaurant experience isn’t the biggest motivation for her new Ecclesia coffee shop, though.
“God just really put it on my heart that I was supposed to be in ministry,” Stroh says.
The more she prayed about it, Stroh says, the more she was “led to I guess you could say entrepreneurial ministry.”
Specifically, she wants to minister to young people through the coffee shop.
“We want it to be very community based,” says Stroh, who also is a long-term substitute teacher.
“We just kind of want a positive place for students to … come and build community.”
Ecclesia, which Stroh says means church, gathering or community, will open in January at the northeast corner of Maple and Ridge Road. That’s the same center where McAlister’sand Chipotle are.
“It doesn’t have a ton of remodel needs,” Stroh says. “It felt right.”
Kameron Rich and Kristin Stang of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal along with Don Piros of Landmark Commercial Real Estate.
Stroh says her goal is for Ecclesia to have a warm atmosphere.
“It will be very inviting.”
In addition to tea and coffee, including a wide variety of specialty coffee drinks, Ecclesia also will serve pastries.
“Cupcakes will be a major part of who we are,” Stroh says.
She plans to have live music and be able to cater to large groups.
Stroh plans to minister in other ways as well, but she says she doesn’t know where the coffee shop will take her yet.
“It’s just very God led.”
Carrie Rengers: 316-268-6340, @CarrieRengers
