Bare Bulb Coffee in Kathleen to permanently close its doors Jan. 31

KATHLEEN -- Coffee is still being poured and ministry still happening at Bare Bulb Coffee, but doors will close for good Jan. 31.

The 5-year-old business, a unique blend of coffee shop, Christian ministry and community center, will close due to financial woes and its landlord's unwillingness to sign a one-year versus three-year renewed lease, said shop manager Dena Hobbs.

"We were working to raise funds to continue another year but our landlord refused to give us less than a three-year lease," she said. "Without the possibility of a one-year lease our board unanimously made the tough call, the heartbreaking call, to just close."

Hobbs said when the announcement was made weeks ago that Bare Bulb would likely close, efforts were begun by friends of the shop to raise funds to see it through another year.

Hobbs said $60,000 was needed.

She said whereas initial prospects looked dim that the Bare Bulb would make it past January, the outpouring of interest and offers for concerts and other fundraisers brightened hopes.

Then lease difficulties dashed them.

"That was unexpected," she said. "After being here five years and being good tenants, we thought we'd be able to work things out."

Hobbs said most scheduled fundraisers are being canceled and those who donate through crowdfunding efforts will be asked what they want done with donations. She said options are to have them returned, use them for ongoing ministry or use them to make sure the Bare Bulb is debt-free when it closes.

The Bare Bulb was initially started under the direction of Nikki Collins MacMilllan, who served as manager and ministry director. In June, Hobbs took MacMillan's place when she moved with her family to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where her husband accepted a church pastorate.

The Bare Bulb initially had a decreasing step grant from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as an experiment in new forms of church planting and ministry as well as other grants, community support and income from the business itself.

The local Flint River Presbytery has remained a big supporter of the venture. Alongside the Bare Bulb, The Light was also created to foster ministry projects at the Bulb and was the name of a worship community that met Sunday evenings.

But the Bare Bulb offered a meeting place for many formal and informal church and community groups as well as for students to study, writers to write, bloggers to blog and individuals and groups just to grab a cup of coffee and bite to eat.

Hobbs said the business took an unexpected hit in the past few months due in part to ongoing road construction at the Ga. 96/Lake Joy Road intersection where the business sits.

"We've always put ministry first over business, but we had a plan in place that if we got funds to help through the new year we'd change our business model and hire a manager who was sympathetic to the ministry but focused on business," Hobbs said. "We were about to implement changes to help the Bulb thrive."

Though the business is closing at 1117 Ga. 96, Hobbs emphasized some ministries will continue and that the Bare Bulb may be resurrected.

"We're not giving up on that," she said. "We may regroup, reform and reopen elsewhere. Even so, ministries like our Backpack Buddies and our Little Lights reading program at Cherished Children's Daycare and Education Center will go on. And our worship community will continue in some way. Our Facebook page and website at barebulbcoffee.org are the best ways to keep up, plus emailing me at denahobbs@cox.net."

Hobbs said there will be a final hurrah at the Bare Bulb on Jan. 15, the date of the shop's last regular open mic night concert.

"The last thing we wanted to do was go out with a whimper and just suddenly stick a sign on the door that we were out of business," she said. "We have too many friends for that. We want to go out with a bang and celebrate all the good times and great things that have happened. There are a lot of things yet to be decided, but we know we want to go out grateful to our community and with integrity. Then we'll see what happens."

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 10:26 PM with the headline "Bare Bulb Coffee in Kathleen to permanently close its doors Jan. 31 ."