Meet Connie Blalock | Coffee shop/Cafe owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Connie Blalock and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connie, what do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be….I loved big and unconditionally. I led people to hope and love, not through my words, but actions. I held myself to high standards and worked hard to make GloryBeans a pub for love.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
GloryBeans Coffeehouse is a place of service. As you enter the coffeehouse you are greeted with our written manta, “How can I pray for you today?“ We provide a meeting place for the community to gather in the comfort of a place where God is first and present. People who have found themselves in dire circumstances are welcomed with prayer and given information on community resources available to help immediately. We provide a comfortable place for those without shelter to rest and relax, sheltered from condemnation and unforgiving elements facing them everyday. The Coffeehouse will provide coffee and food as needed. Our customers contribute to the “homeless card” to help support us in our mission. The challenges we face as a business often come from the misconception of our homeless community and from people profiling and judging persons experiencing difficult situations. I am where we are today because of hard work and perseverance, the grace of God, and a supportive community. The coffeehouse has stayed true to the mission of trusting God and placing Him first. I believe that is why we are continuing to grow and change with the demands of or customers and friends. Serving the public is not easy. We attempt to be consistent and caring in all that we do and all whom we serve.
I want everyone to know that we have great customer service, great coffee and great food. I put my heart into everything I do at my shop. I use fresh ingredients like farm fresh eggs, local organic greens and local stone milled grits to name a few. We do breakfast and lunch, but, I love breakfast/brunch and that’s what I want to be known for. We make the best breakfast bowl with Creamy Gouda Grits, eggs cooked to your liking and finished with your choice of bacon, sausage or ham. We have Pancakes, French Toast, French Chicks ( my favorite) and a large Crepe menu, from sweet to savory. I take great pride in the food that comes out of my kitchen, everything is made in our kitchen, from chicken salad, spicy pimento cheese and chipotle aioli to name a few. For as long as I can remember I have loved to feed people, I love to make them happy through their palets and stomachs. I’ve been in the restaurant business most of my working life, from the front of the house to the back and everything in between, I want my customers to get the best experience from the beginning to the end when they visit GloryBeans.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Our city is an alive and vibrant place and there are many places nearby to visit spending quality time with friends. The first place I would take them is my Coffeehouse. A place, I am most proud to show off. Most of the time there is a quiet energy that allows patrons to talk, read, study, and enjoy each other. At other times there is an excitement of a Saturday morning breakfast with friends to laugh with and catch up on the week’s events. I am partial to local businesses, We would visit our local tap room and brewery, the gift shop, and tavern, all of these downtown establishments are locally owned and operated. A little bit farther from town are Lake Tillery and Morrow Mountain. There are plenty of things to do and plenty of places to relax and have fun.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow, that’s a great question, but, if there is only one person, it would have to be God. He led me here, He provided for me here. He put the vision in my heart to be not only a great coffee shop/cafe but a gathering place. A place where ANYONE can come in and be welcomed and loved. My daughters have been my cheerleaders from the very beginning, if there is anyone that I want to be proud of me, it’s them. They inspire me everyday to keep pushing forward and never give up.
I’ve been blessed to have a great friend and businessman, Roger Dick, as my biggest supporter. He has definitely been a great resource for me to be able to talk about my business.. He’s seen me at my best and at some of my most difficult times. He’s someone that has always told me how proud he is of me. I consider him a mentor as well as a friend.
I definitely have to give a shoutout to my employees, I could not do this without them. I call them my kids and they really are like my family.
Lastly, If you come into my shop any time of the day, you see a whole Community in one building, almost everyone knows everyone . There’s laughter, chatting, Bible study, book writing, studying, and lots of love going on. It’s my customer’/friends/community that have kept me in business for almost 15 years now.
I have to mention “The “Reserved Table” they have definitely kept me on my toes. They are a group of local businessmen and community leaders that have come in consistently for years to meet for coffee and breakfast, discussing community and world problems, while supporting my business and my passion for serving others. The love and gratitude I have for these people is huge. I know that they genuinely love me and want to see my business grow and thrive.

Website: Glorybeanscoffeehouse-alb.com

Instagram: Glorybeans_coffeehouse

Facebook: GloryBeans CoffeeHouse