On a Mission to Serve, Inspire and Improve
The owner of a new coffeehouse in Plover says his “Mission” is more than just selling coffee
By Jacob Mathias
Personal and professional development accompany the drinks at the Mission Coffee House, a new coffee spot in Plover.
But more than coffee and baked goods, this coffeehouse will also be offering free monthly workshops.
Owner Russ Ehlinger said he’s using Wisconsin-based suppliers for all his products, including European Roasters/Boom Coffee based in Milwaukee, and said he also recently signed an agreement with Madison-based Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream.
The Mission will offer coffee and tea, smoothies, hand dipped ice cream and baked goods for both sit down and drive-thru service. The coffee house also has an outdoor seating area.
“It’s going to be very comparable to a Starbucks menu, but we’ll also have ice cream,” said Ehlinger, who said he expects to hire about 10 employees and is currently accepting applications.
Ehlinger previously worked as a sales consultant with Cintas, and along with his wife April, have amassed a strong networking base in the community. He said he’s got a good feel for what shoppers- and business owners- in Plover want.
The Mission building used to house a branch of Associated Bank, he said, so it came with a drive-thru already in place. Customers can use their smartphones to submit their orders before they arrive in the drive-thru lane, Ehliger said.
“You text us and it goes right to the barista,” he said. “We’ll have [your order] ready for you when you pull up.”
Naming the spot wasn’t a difficult choice, Ehlinger said, because the premise for his business is based on assisting people with their missions in life, be it a personal, professional or financial goal.
“The name ‘Mission’ came from us wanting to partner with other business,” said Ehlinger. “If people are on mission to make better investments, I have a representative from Edward Jones coming here to do a live coffee chat once a month as a free service to the community.”
Ehlinger called it “a great networking opportunity”, saying it helped the local Edward Jones office build its brand.
“And it helps promote our business at the same time,” he said.
Elhinger said he already has events arranged with Adventure 212, First Weber Real Estate and Members Advantage Credit Union. Those events will take place Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting at 7 PM.
“I’m equally excited about working with these other businesses and helping build their brands,” he said.
The Ehlinger Family lives in Plover. They have four boys between the ages of four and 11.
The Mission Coffee House is located at 2860 Post Road in Plover. Ehlinger plans to open on June 1.