MADISON – Just in time to offer downtown Madison shoppers a place to rest and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, Mayor Paul Finley and the Madison Chamber of Commerce helped celebrate the opening of Honest Coffee’s second area store.

The evening was clear but quite chilly so the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon took place indoors.

At the corner of 92 Shorter Street, in the retail sector of The Avenue Madison, Honest Coffee is within walking distance of downtown and the magic of the upcoming Madison Polar Express Christmas Trees & Wassail Fest on Main.

“I want to thank everyone with the City of Madison for introducing us to the right people and making us feel at home here in Madison,” said Honest Coffee founder Christy Wimberly.

She opened the first Honest Coffee on Clinton Row in downtown Huntsville more than a decade ago.

“I told Mayor Finley how pleased I was to hear about the work the city is putting into growing this community and we are very excited about bringing our concept to the Madison community,” she said.

“What we want to do here is provide more than just a place to get coffee or a place to get a meal. We are really here to provide a gathering place with a fun environment for the community.”

Wimberly introduced store manager Marissa Gossage to the customers who came in to celebrate.

Wimberly told 256 Today in October that her growth and expansion strategy was  dependent upon she has the leadership in her management pipeline to give a new location the kind of superior customer service and support her customers have come to expect. She tagged Gossage then as that person.

“Marissa is a dear friend who has been with me for many years,” she said. “Our team members become part of our friends and family. I can’t say enough about the hard work, the energy and the passion Marissa puts into her position.”

In fact, Gossage has moved her family to Madison and intends to be active in community happenings.

“First and foremost, thank you guys for investing in our community,” said Finley. “One of the things we talked about going all the way back to 2008 was, what will transform Madison the most is having our historic downtown area grow into something we are all proud of and where we have things to do as we grow with it.

“As the roots get deeper, it is businesses like Honest Coffee that were able to take that vision and thought and turn it into reality.”