Public hearing scheduled Monday for Kaya Coffee House building zoning request
The Mount Pleasant City Commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 to discuss the potential rezoning of the former SBX Bookstore building, which houses Kaya Coffee House. If the rezoning is approved, the building will likely be sold to United Apartments.
The Mount Pleasant Planning Commission recommended the zoning request at its Jan. 5 meeting. Regardless, the city commission will make the final decision in regard to the property.
Kaya owners Emily Miller and Abigail Chambers are committed to keeping the coffee shop open, ideally in the same location. Though they don’t want to relocate, the owners said the shop may have a potential new home.
“There’s no contract signed so I don’t want to say where it is,” Miller said. "But it’s very close to where we are right now, and it’s another small business that wants to help us out.”
Chambers and Miller took ownership of Kaya in 2015. The coffee shop has been in business for more than 15 years. If the sale goes through, Kaya would have 90 days to relocate, Miller said.
The owners have encouraged people to attend the public hearing and voice their concerns to the city commission.
“We hope people show up (to the meeting) to show the community wants Kaya,” Chambers said. “We don’t want to disappear. We don’t want to move. That’s where we’re standing.”
Rick McGuirk, the operations manager of United Apartments, said he’s concerned with the economic potential of the property.
“I have no problem at all with Kaya Coffee (House) and I want to see them successful,” McGuirk said. “I’m just working to come up with the best options for that property that make sense.”
