Coffee Connections of Hilliard is back in business, serving espresso from the basement of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship at 4066 Main St. after structural problems forced the shop out of its nearly decade-old storefront in June.
Owners Nate and Sharon Grenier are running the pop-up on the same mobile cart they used to launch the business as a catering company in 2014, two years before they opened their first brick-and-mortar location two blocks away. The pop-up is open Wednesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon.
The shop carries a 4.7-star rating across more than 600 Google reviews and has roughly 30,000 Facebook followers.
Sharon Grenier told NBC4 on Aug. 5, that the basement space feels like a "cozy campsite."
"It's not perfect, but it's part of our ideal," she said.
Why the shop closed
City inspectors and the Norwich Township fire marshal deemed the floor at 4004 Main St. unsafe after an inspection on June 17. The roughly 100-year-old building never had cement beneath its foundation, Sharon Grenier told NBC4. Minor floor issues had persisted for years, but the problem spread into the customer area in spring 2026, causing the counter to detach from the wall.
The property owner was given 14 days to bring in a structural engineer. Coffee Connections held its final day on June 27, less than a week after announcing the closure. More than 100 people gathered that afternoon, forming a prayer circle at 12:30 p.m. after the shop closed.
"Coffee Connections isn't this building, it's the people," Nate Grenier told the crowd that day, according to the Hilliard Beacon.
What's next
The Greniers are discussing a possible extended partnership with Cornerstone Christian Fellowship but told NBC4 that nothing has been finalized as of Aug. 5. They are still working through licensing and other logistical questions. Nate Grenier also spoke with Andy Warnock, founder and CEO of Westwood Collective, about potential Old Hilliard sites in late June, but none were available among Warnock's holdings at the time.
A permanent home remains uncertain.
In the meantime, the shop is building what the Greniers call a "new rhythm." Weekly events in August include "Coffee with Nate" on Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. and a puppet show on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m.
Coffee Connections products are also available in limited quantities at Bakes by Lo, which opened a storefront at 4045 Main St. in late June. The two businesses share a kiosk at Center Street Market.
Upcoming at Coffee Connections pop-up (4066 Main St.)
- Coffee with Nate: Wednesday mornings, 7 a.m.
- Puppet show: Thursday mornings, 10 a.m.
- Regular hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon
