GODDARD – With great weather and a big crowd, Cofellow Coffee Parlor held its grand opening on Saturday and the Goddard Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting for the new business.

Cofellow had a soft opening on May 1. It is in the downtown Goddard location that formerly housed JoJo’s Coffee, at 107 N. Main.

Owner Jeremy Weldon has long wanted to open a coffee shop. He first thought about it 15 years ago.

“This was a dream, to create community,” he said at Saturday’s grand opening.

Born in Wichita and reared in Rose Hill, Weldon has spent most of his life in this part of Kansas, except for six years based in Nashville when he spent much of his time on the road as a drummer.

He and his family moved back to the area about two years ago. The timing for opening his own coffee shop was not quite right. Then when JoJo’s opened last year, Weldon felt like he missed an opportunity.

But when JoJo’s closed its big red garage door after a few months, Weldon saw a second chance.

Weldon works in graphic design and branding in addition to real estate. He decided on the name “Cofellow” years ago, and the new business’s branding shows a lot of thought and planning.

“It’s a made up word, ‘community’ plus ‘fellowship.’ I came up with the logo six years ago in Nashville,” he said.

“I want this to be a place for individuals regardless of belief. I want people to to know they’re heard,” Weldon said. “I want them to have a great experience, to know they’re loved and can have community.”

He calls himself a follower of Jesus, but wants to have a space that welcomes people of all beliefs and backgrounds.

Right now, his local craft coffee is actually roasted in Los Angeles. He’s saving up to buy his own roasting machine, but what he wants comes with a big price tag.

So far, his most popular flavor has been The Spice Girl, a brown sugar and cinnamon latte that is served hot or cold. He’s also serving breakfast sandwiches and locally baked goods, and paninis during lunch.

Weldon plans to put glass into the big garage door that basically serves as the business’s east wall. It was wide open on Saturday morning, creating an open feeling that spilled into the street. The windows will help create that same feeling, even when the weather is hot or cold.

Goddard is becoming a crowded coffee market. Scooter’s, a regional chain, is open along U.S. Highway 54. The locally-owned Rusted Bean Co. and national-chain Starbucks are under construction, both off the Kellogg Drive access road.

Weldon loves his downtown location and feels he serves a unique niche.

“We’re a cafe, a sit-down parlor. There’s room for local businesses. People love local businesses,” he said. “I’m all for local.”

Weldon is trying to create a community-based experience, not a fast- Travis

paced, in-and-out shop. He said timing is important for success.

“The Lord put us first, before Starbucks,” he said, adding he probably would not have opened if Starbucks was already doing business.

Cofellow Coffee Parlor will be open during the myriad community events that happen downtown and at nearby Linear Park, which is only a few steps away. Normal hours are 7-4 Monday through Friday, and 8-4 on Saturday.

In addition to coffees and other drinks, as well as baked goods and sandwiches, Cofellow has a full line of merchandise that includes mugs, hats, shirts and stickers. They are active on Facebook, too.