EVANS, Ga. (WJBF) – Rooted Coffeehouse and Alumni Cookie Dough are coming to the plaza at Evans Towne Center. The doors are set to open in mid-June, and this comes after multiple businesses in the building closed their doors for good. 

“It was a really unexpected partnership and I mean, it was a no-brainer, right?” said Alison Kocher and Heather Needles, the owners of Rooted Coffeehouse. “The location is perfect. This is a location we actually checked into before – it wasn’t available at the time. So we looked somewhere else, and then it came back around. We’re excited to be here.”

They’ll be in the same space that Buzzed Bull Creamery and Roll On In used to be, and beside where Stay Social Tap and Table was.

Despite all of those businesses closing in the last year, the new owners aren’t letting that deter them.

“Not at all, I mean I feel like we are in the perfect location for our two products and for our target audience that we’re looking to bring in,” said Jenifer Harpley, the owner and operator of Alumni Cookie Dough. “We’ve got the park, we’ve got kids with moms and dads, their families. We felt that coffee was the perfect complimentary business to put in here with us.”

With the other stores in the Evans Society Center bringing in business along Ronald Reagan Drive and North Belair Road –  they’re confident that this is the right spot for their first and second location in Columbia County.

And people who live in the area are hopeful that Evans will continue to grow.

“I’m excited about it, I think that’s what this area needs,” said Jerry Renbarger. “We have a lot of new construction, but we don’t have a lot of restaurants, retail, coffee shops. We’re getting more, but it’s exactly what this area needs.”

Melissa McElmurray said she’s looking forward to not having to take her own coffee to park.

“It’s kind of hard to carry it in the stroller and all that, so it’d be nice to have a place right here close by to walk to,” she said.

As for future stores, she has some ideas.

“Maybe a gift shop-type place, where you could buy last minute gifts if you were running over here or something. And great clothing boutiques of course. That would be great!” she said.

Updates will be coming for any other possible businesses coming to the center.