The Real Life Church has opened a brand new coffee shop inside their building on Grand Avenue nestled between the Stewart Tile Company and NAPA Auto Parts. Annika Roberts, manager of The Well Coffeehouse, said their goal is to create a community space for everyone in Pullman. 

Roberts, a 2020 WSU alum,  said The Well Coffeehouse is owned by the Real Life Church in Pullman as a separate entity and is a for-profit business.

Proceeds go toward the coffee shop, she said. Once they break even, they will go towards the community through various projects. 

In the future, various charities will receive donations from the shop’s profits, as well as the church’s benevolence team, which helps houseless people and those in need, she said. 

Roberts said even with the recent opening of the coffeehouse, business has been a lot better than expected for the first month. 

She said the name The Well Coffeehouse comes from a biblical story where Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well and asked her for a drink of water. Even though they came from different walks of life, they sat and talked, and Jesus offered her “living water.” Wells are a common gathering place, and she hopes the coffee shop will be a gathering place for all community members. 

“My mission is just anyone who does come in feels like they are welcome and loved where they’re at,” Roberts said. 

As someone who studied business and hospitality, Roberts hopes that anyone who walks in feels they are a priority and are being served respectfully. 

Their menu consists of a typical coffee menu with different drink specials that switch out weekly, she said.

Their first event this Friday will be a Disney trivia night. She said there will be various Disney-inspired drinks. 

Their pastries and breakfast items come from Jacob’s Bakery located out of Uniontown, she said. They have breakfast sandwiches and burritos, as well as scones, berry galette and croissants. 

While most people order vanilla lattes, lots of customers are getting hooked on their white chocolate almond mocha, which Roberts said is her favorite.

Roberts loves the connections that have been made since opening the coffeehouse. 

“My favorite thing about coffee shops is that people seem to be pretty happy and talk about deep things,” she said. 

Roberts is currently the only employee of the coffee shop, but there are lots of volunteers from the Real Life Church. 

“It’s very unique in that it’s all volunteer-run,” she said. “We have people of all ages: some are [college] students, some are high school students and some are retired ladies.”

It makes for a fun environment because everyone genuinely wants to be here, she said. 

The Well Coffeehouse is located at 1234 S. Grand Ave., and is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and Sundays from 8:30 a.m.-noon.

Roberts is looking forward to more people coming into the coffee shop as a hangout spot beyond just the church, she said. 

“It is unique because it is in a church, but I hope that people feel like everyone belongs and it’s just a fun coffee shop vibe,” she said.