Coffee house in a church? This Macon shop is your favorite place to grab coffee in Middle GA

There’s nothing like a great cup of coffee and the good vibes that come with it.

But there’s also something to be said about a great coffee shop.

And last week, you voted on your favorite coffee shop in Middle Georgia. The winner?

Cathedral Coffee in Macon.

Since opening in April 2018, Cathedral Coffee has quickly become the talk of the town for many reasons. The shop is located inside Northway Church in Macon and is conveniently located at 5915 Zebulon Road, where there are no other freestanding coffee shops.

So, how did the vision start and how is Cathedral different from other coffee houses?

Well, let’s get grinding.

Brewing up the vision

“The idea was all from Kevin Mills, our lead pastor [at Northway]. He wanted to do two things: serve the city of Macon and the surrounding areas and then possibly reach them, for the gospel,” said Jacob Faircloth, general manager of Cathedral Coffee.

Although the coffee shop is built alongside the church, Faircloth explained that you don’t have to be a churchgoer to enjoy the coffee and space.

“Everybody loves coffee and coffee is something people tend to drink and stay, but you don’t have to go to church. I have a lot of people that don’t even believe in Jesus that come here and that’s great,” he said. “The vision was to provide the physical space for people to use, but also provide a spiritual outlet for a person in need.”

Faircloth is no stranger to customer service or the food industry. In fact, you might remember him from the Chick-fil-A here in Macon. Years ago, he worked as a manager at the Zebulon Road location.

Of course, the coffee industry is different and has its challenges; Faircloth and his team prioritize people, each other and their faith above all else.

And this is seen and felt day in and day out at Cathedral.

Friends, Faith & Fueling up

“It’s tough in the coffee business,” Faircloth said.

However, his hopes for Cathedral Coffee are high.

He explained that his goals are “threefold” at Cathedral because every interaction is important.

“It’s about how we interact with guests, how we interact with each other and then hopefully how we interact with the gospel and the word,” he shared. “I want to treat people like people. You’re not a number, you’re not a transaction.”

For Faircloth and his team, it’s all about kindness and fellowship, which makes Cathedral unlike most coffee houses or other businesses in general.

Just ask Brittney Robinson, a Cathedral Coffee employee since 2020. “My favorite thing about working at Cathedral Coffee is that we take our time and get to know our customers,” she said. “It’s a really friendly and fun environment.”

Faircloth and his team will sometimes even huddle up and pray together before or in between shifts. And he said that if anyone is having a hard time, he wants them to talk about it and hug it out.

“I don’t think there’s a ton of other coffee shops doing that,” he said.

Speaking of unique things about Cathedral Coffee, there are several items named after people on the menu.

Located under “Cathedral Specials” on the menu, there’s “The Ellie,” a white mocha latte with caramel drizzle, “The Pat,” a honey vanilla oat milk latte, and “The Jim,” a sausage, bacon, egg and provolone cheese sandwich on sourdough bread.

Faircloth explained that Ellie was a Stratford student who visited everyday and got the same drink, which is now named after her. “The Ellie” is now the most popular item at Cathedral Coffee.

“The Pat” is named after Pat Chastain, the director of the Rescue Mission in Middle Georgia. And “The Jim” is named after a friend who visits almost daily.

So, if there was a menu item named after you, what would it be? For me, “The Chelsea” would be a pumpkin spice latte, quad shot with two pumps of caramel. Hint, hint. Just saying.

Carefully crafted

From the coffee to menu items, Cathedral Coffee carefully crafts each and every order. But before the orders came rolling in, the design was creatively curated.

Tall brick arches, open space, a stained glass window above a warm fireplace and vintage wooden pews. Anywhere you look, the beauty is everywhere.

“The design is based off of that stained glass window right there by the fireplace,” Faircloth said, pointing towards the breathtaking, massive hand-painted focal point.

The window, which was originally a part of Vineville Baptist Church long ago, was carefully moved during renovations and restored in the design of the coffee shop.

Faircloth shared that the general aesthetic of the shop is set up like a Cathedral and everything, down to the wooden pew seating, comes from what’s painted on that stained glass window.

What’s brewing next?

Faircloth shared his future plans for Cathedral, which consist of more tables and chairs for the influx of customers, as well as an extended drive-thru and more events.

Cathedral Coffee has long been a space that can be rented out for parties, receptions, baby showers and other celebrations. The space is very versatile and catering can be ordered through Faircloth and his team or food can be brought in from other vendors.

Faircloth said he wants to add an “open-mic worship night,” where people can sign up to perform with Cathedral’s acoustic guitarist to back them up. Coffee would of course, be served.

Other than that, Faircloth shared that he just wants to continue serving the community by dropping off free coffee at businesses, schools, clubs or events.

“I just want to bless people,” Faircloth said.

Show Cathedral Coffee some love by leaving us a comment of your favorite thing about the coffee shop. Or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com