Excitement is brewing and so is the serious coffee. Two new businesses, along with some new colors added to old ones, are causing smiles in the First National Bank corner of Columbia's Public Square. When you see the purple building, you can be assured that's just the beginning of changes.

Inside, an upscale coffee shop is open six days a week from early morning to late night, with live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings for an added bonus. The back door smartly opens into the city parking lot for ease of entry.

New color trim has also been added to the building next door, where new owners Mike and Jennifer Mann have opened a furniture and jewelry store (more about them on the next page) in the location which formerly belonged to Creative Images.

Sirius Coffee

Columbia has many indirect benefits from being home to Lindsey Wilson College, and one of them is Sirius Coffee, the name of the coffee, sandwich and dessert shop in the purple building. Debra Shaw conceived the idea after coming here with her husband, Patrick, who teaches English at LWC. As owner of a non-profit doggie treats company named Sirius (for the star) Dogma, she kept the name theme. Debra comes from a marketing background, saw a unique empty building, a need for a coffee house, and recruited partner Marie Brady to share in the idea.

The Sirius Coffee phone number is 385-9262.

Watch out for the new 385 prefix, it throws the dialing off sometimes as we get used to having a change.

M & M Furniture and Fine Jewelry

opens next to coffee shop

Young entrepreneur Mike Mann, son of Circle R and Country Inn owner Gary Mann, and Mike's wife Jennifer, are getting a start in the furniture business in the newly trimmed building next door to the coffee shop. Jennifer will be working with Mike after hours from her regular job of Librarian.

Mike said the name of the business will officially be M&M Furniture and Fine Jewelry. That leads us to think we may be able to look there for gifts of jewelry as well as furnishings, lamps and pictures.

The Manns can be reached for more information at 384-0366.

'Down to Earth' cafe opening

"Down To Earth" is the name of newest food place downtown, a branch of "Down To Earth Foods & Gardens", Linda and Rich Mallory's existing business in Adair County.

Linda says, "We are an agriculture based business growing our own fruits and vegetables. We have built a commercial facility on our property so that we can process our own line of jams, jellies, salsas, pickled vegetables, etc. Our cafe will offer all homemade foods including muffins, pastries, coffee cakes, granolas, waffles, pancakes, and fresh fruit and vegetable drinks. In today's world we are aware that people are watching what they are putting into their bodies.

"My plan is to have certain items that can be ordered everyday, but to also have a "specials' menu that changes everyday, and desserts, my favorites. Inside will also be a gift shop including products we make along with Adair County made crafts. While the fruit and vegetable season is bearing, we will have produce for sale.

"I have a dream that our Agriculture and Dairy Farming community must stick together; that we must find new ways of preserving our heritage and our culture. We no longer can just sell our tobacco and milk, we must create new products from the farm and learn how to market them. Standing together, sharing ideas, becoming an agriculture community, we can pull resources into our county that will benefit everyone.

For more information about their business which is scheduled to open in July in the former Kentucky Utilities building, call 378-6000.

PS: Linda is the mom of Miss Ashley Merritt who has recently gained national attention for her special singing talent, and we send her all our best wishes.

A new invention birthed in Adair

Jack Franklin, wife Lisa, daughter Shannon and grandson Nick, are excited at the progress being made by Jack's new invention. His idea was a floating device to keep drinks cold and available on the water.

"We love to fish, ski, tube and find relief from the hot sun by getting in the water to relax and cool off," Jack says, "and of course, we'd want something to quench our thirst while in the water."

That desire and the hassle of having to get out of the water every time he wanted a cold drink, led him to invent an item called the Party Barge out of styrofoam.

When he took his invention with him to test it in operation on their next family outing, people literally boated and jet skied over to ask where they could get one. From there the rest of his exciting story is history. Jack can be reached for more information at 849 Harm Shelton Road, Columbia, 378-5360.

Entertainment center opening

The Dream Depot will be the name of the newest entertainment and local events place in Columbia. Landlord Paul Turner welcomes new tenants Elaine Bennett, Judy Somerville and a silent partner who plan to open soon in the building in the corner building across Jamestown Street from State Farm Insurance. For years the building was the home of Shrader's Furniture and Appliances.

They plan to offer local events and talent contests to help showcase the many talented performers in Adair County. For information about renting the building for meetings, parties and special events, call Elaine locally on her cell phone at 250-3398.

One is born to carry on

Columbia natives Jim and Annette Richards have a new first grandchild thanks to their son Steve and his wife Cindy who are the proud parents of a healthy baby boy. Curtis Paul Richards arrived on May 23, 2000. He weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces.

Grandmother Annette Waggener Richards says that he is the handsomest baby she has ever seen. She is using her computer skills to make a family internet site just in case anyone needs to verify that.