Ross Gallabrese GRAND OPENING — Hunter Wees, owner of the Mindful Mug coffee shop, was joined Thursday by friends, family and members of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce for the grand opening of the business, which is located inside First Westminster Presbyterian Church.

STEUBENVILLE — Discussions held during training sessions at a downtown facility have led to a series of events that resulted in the opening of downtown’s newest coffee shop.

“I didn’t think I was going to be in this position, but things unfolded and I was able to,” Hunter Wees, owner of the Mindful Mug, said Thursday morning. “Things unfolded that way and I am grateful. I’m just looking forward to adding on and bringing good vibrations into the community and raising the spirits of everyone around.”

The business is located inside First Westminster Presbyterian Church and features coffee, pastries, salads and wraps. It has been open for a little more than a month, and Thursday, members of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, friends and family members gathered for a grand opening event that included the official ribbon cutting.

“To make a long story short, I had some money saved up from working several jobs,” Wees said. “I was training the Rev. Jason Elliott (the church’s pastor) across the street at Steubenville Strength and Wellness, and he and I started to talk. They had just revitalized this space in the church, and he said he was looking for a coffee shop to come in here at some point.”

Elliott said the two had shared several conversations about the project, and once he was convinced Wees had the commitment needed to make it work, he took the idea to the church’s Session, where it was approved.

Now, the shop, which is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, is up and running just a short set of steps up from the church’s entrance.

Wees said he had been running the Grind, a shop in Follansbee, and had been working a lot of different jobs before this opportunity opened up.

“It was really crazy how everything transpired and unfolded at that time,” he said. “Jason was asking me questions about a coffee shop, and I was in a position to buy out a partner in the Grind and I decided to come and roll with this one. Jason and church welcomed me with opens arms.”

There’s a lot going on at the church, which is located at 235 N. Fourth St. In addition to normal church events and meetings, it is the home of the Our Place of Jefferson County Activity and Resource Center for residents 50 and older. The business has become integrated into all of that activity, as well as the traffic generated by members of the public.

“It’s been awesome — there have been no complaints,” Wees said. “There’s a lot of built-in traffic flow in general, and we’re just kind of scratching each other’s backs. When the Bible study meets in the coffee shop, I will just lock it up for that hour. Same with the Business Before Breakfast with the chamber of commerce.”

The shop is open on Sunday mornings, but it closes between 10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. while the church’s service is held. It’s the type of small business that can help the community grow.

“Hunter is a great kid and he is going to work his butt off,” said Mayor Ralph Petrella, who also owns Steubenville Strength and Wellness. “It’s so important for our town, because it’s momentum. It’s another small business — it’s another place where people can gather.”

Wees said that the shop has just two employees now, adding that he has been working every day to make sure the business gets off to a good start.

“I’m a perfectionist,” he admitted. “I have to make sure everything is up and rolling. It’s a little bit Type A, but that’s the way things have to be done to get off to the right start and make a good impression.”

Just about everything in the shop is made in-house, Wees said. A Wintersville woman, Rachel Lewis, makes the fresh sourdough, bagels and scones, he added.

“Syrups are a staple of ours,” Wees said. “I’m big on the health industry — I’m a personal trainer, into the health industry and eat healthy. Our syrups are made in-house. There are only three ingredients in all of our syrups. It’s water, either sugar or brown sugar and then an extract for the flavor. If it’s a berry drink or a fruit drink, we use blueberries, strawberries or bananas.

“We use real ingredients in all of our syrups,” he added. “I’m not having a bottle that can sit there for 10 years and never go bad. That’s not healthy.”

Elliott and Petrella said the set up for the shop is a true incubator for the small business. The church, Elliott said, does not take any money from the shop.

“It really incubates,” Petrella explained. “You’re seeing First Westminster offer the space, and that’s a business incubator. That way, Hunter can grow to a brick-and-mortar place of his own that creates more jobs.”

Wees said the personal touch he incorporates into his shop is important.

“It puts more of a feel out that this person cares about the quality of his product,” Wees said. “That’s the main thing — the quality of the product. I want to keep it top tier. That’s what brings people back.”