CHILLICOTHE — After almost eight years of being in the community Paper City Coffee has become a well-known place for people to get their morning drink and visit with friends. Luckily, regular customers don't have to worry about too much changing when the new owners take over as they plan to keep the store feeling like a "warm hug."
Megan Gerber started Paper City Coffee in 2016 and has worked to grow the business and create a welcoming environment for everyone. While she is extremely grateful for all the community support she has received she knew it was time for her to move on to the next chapter in her life as she felt she had given all she could to the business.
Still, this is somewhat of a bittersweet time for Gerber, she knows she will miss the store, the people in it and all of the ways the experience of owning a business has helped her grow over the years but she is excited to see where the new owners take it.
"I'm feeling a lot of emotions," said Gerber. "It's been a great eight years for sure."
Even though she knew it was time for her to move on Gerber didn't want to sell the shop to just anyone which is why she was excited when her former students, employees and mentors from the Paper City Mentoring Project came to her to talk about working together to own the business.
New owners Mackenna, Lance, Cade and Madisen Harper are excited to be working together to run the coffee shop. They said they hope to use their combined strengths to keep the store an active part of the community while allowing it to grow and change over time. They are also looking forward to working together as a family and having people around them to help, something Gerber said will be extremely beneficial.
The groups are all Chillicothe natives who know firsthand how important the shop, and having a gathering place is for the community.
“All of us are born and raised here in Chillicothe, so small-town pride is important to us," said Mackenna. "Our roots are here and we are grateful that Meg picked us to carry on that opportunity to also continue to grow those roots for Paper City Coffee.”
While the Harpers plan on keeping the charm of the shop and honoring Gerber's hard work they are also ready to bring in new, fresh ideas such as roasting their own beans.
With new owners Erin Givens, with the Paper City Mentoring Project, was slightly worried about how the relationship between the shop[ and the project would change. However, the Hapers say they know how important the project is to the youth in the community and they will continue the current partnership.
The new owners will also be taking over The Page, the craft cocktail bar, open on select nights in the store.
“We are incredibly excited to see both of the businesses flourish through new perspective, creativity and love for our downtown,” said Mackenna.
Paper City Coffee will be hosting a welcome party for the new owners on May 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Customers are encouraged to stop in to celebrate the new beginnings.
Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: New owners take over Paper City Coffee
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