BY LUCIE KRISMAN
Kathy Weld felt something was missing soon after she moved to Eudora.
The former youth pastor moved to the area from Olathe about four years ago and missed the vibe of a local coffeehouse.
"I spent enough time complaining about there not being a coffee shop," Weld said. "I said that maybe I should stop waiting for someone else to do it and maybe I'm the one to do something about it."
Weld followed through on her idea by opening Zeb's Coffeehouse at 724 Main St. in late 2018.
"It has been a big learning curve," Weld said. "We've loved the support from the community."
The coffeehouse is named after her dog Zeb, a Yorkie-Chihuahua-Shih Tzu mix, to symbolize an environment of great quality, friendliness toward all visitors and a broader sense of community.
"Everyone he meets is a new best friend," Weld said. "We want to be a space where everyone feels as welcome as they do when the real Zeb is around."
Zeb's Coffeehouse serves up coffee, pastries and board games from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For Weld, coffee shops bring the community together in a special way.
“There’s something about the ritual of coffee that’s comforting,” Weld said. “It’s an easy place for people to gather.”
Aside from the coffee, Zeb's brings a touch of history to Eudora. The building, previously occupied by Trefz Variety Store, still holds a piece of the family-owned business in the form of a wooden shelf next to the bar. Chairs that students once used in Fraser Hall at the University of Kansas now sit at many of the tables.
“We wanted to use as much of the history as possible," Weld said. "Eudora has a lot of history, and it’s important to honor that legacy of those that have gone before us.”
With a mission of "cultivating community through coffee," the purpose of Zeb's Coffeehouse is ultimately to give a sense of unity to the people of Eudora, whether they're on their way to work or there to stay for the time being, she said.
"Our purpose is to be that space in the community for people to gather," Weld said. "For me, it’s about bringing people together over a cup of coffee."
Eudora resident Jody Keltner is grateful for the family-friendly atmosphere and the sense of familiarity that she has found at Zeb's.
"It's nice to see a familiar face every morning when I come in," Keltner said. "It's really open to the community."
That attention to purpose and detail is also evident in the business’s coffee mugs, which will soon be available for purchase. Each has an inspirational quote and is handmade by Indiana-based company MUDLove, a ceramics studio that supports bringing clean water to Africa through a partnership with faith-based organization Water For Good.
"Every mug provides a week of clean water through building wells and water filtration systems," Weld said.
Zeb’s regular and lifelong Eudora resident Glenn Jackson appreciates the homegrown aspect of the coffeehouse.
"When you support a local business, that's money that stays in the neighborhood," Jackson said. "I want to support that sort of thing."
Eudora’s Chamber of Commerce Project Coordinator Ami Bruce recognizes the importance of community support for local businesses in towns like Eudora.
“I know what these business owners go through,” Bruce said. “Our business owners are so incredible. They’ve built their businesses up from the ground.”
During his time as the chief executive officer of Benchmark Construction in Eudora, Tim Bruce has also witnessed firsthand how businesses can benefit from the local community aspect.
“I’ve always been a believer in doing business with people who do business with you,” Bruce said. “It’s important to support one another when we can.”
For additional information, visit the Zeb’s Coffeehouse website at https://www.zebscoffeehouse.com.
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