Coasters Coffee Co. to have new owner

Sara Johnson, founder of Coasters Coffee Co., transferred her business to long-time employee Kandi Slocum this month in order to focus on her massage therapy business, Still Waters Massage and Wellness. 
Johnson, whose last day at the coffee shop was Dec. 31, stated that customers can expect the same service from her trusted friend.
“She’s been here from the beginning,” Johnson said. “She knows the customers as well as I do and she will do great. She knows how to keep the atmosphere positive. We like to have a lot of fun here and she’ll carry that on.”
Johnson explained that she is looking to expand Still Waters with trauma therapy, a technique to alleviate past trauma that affects the body, and is seeking more stability in that transition.
“I am needing more balance in life,” Johnson elaborated during an interview two weeks ago. “I currently have two businesses and since I have Kandi, who is able and anxious to take over Coasters, I’m going to step aside and focus on my massage practice. And I’m going to go back to school and bring in trauma therapy into my practice, which I see a huge need for that right now. I don’t want to divide my attention; I’d rather have both succeed.”
Slocum decided to bring up the issue of selling the business to Johnson first. 
“I more approached her, because she’s talking about what (she) wanted to do,” Slocum said. “And I was like, ‘Sell it to me.’”
Both women had been friends for a number of years before the business, with Slocum joining from the beginning in 2018. Though Johnson likes coffee black and Slocum with a lot of milk, she likes the ‘family’ that the business has created in four years.
“This has been like a whole second home to me,” Slocum explained. “So it’s not necessarily like the coffee shop aspect (that appealed to me). I’m actually not a big coffee drinker.”
In an email sent out earlier this month, Slocum reasserted the commitment to the same menu and service provided since the beginning. 
“The menu I’m going to keep the same and she’s able to transfer the register system, all that database, over to me so there will be no interruption for our rewards program,” she explained. “Nothing will change with that. So it just makes it easy and simple.”
Baked goods will still be made in-house besides shipping from Daylight Donuts in York.
“We started doing the scones from scratch because of supplier issues being unpredictable,” Slocum stated. “So we figured out a recipe for our muffins, cookies and cinnamon rolls.”
As for what is new, Slocum stated that things are run already to her own standards under Johnson. 
“I don’t know, Sara has always let me just kind of do my thing here,” Slocum said as she described herself as a kind of manager. “Yeah, I just don’t feel like there would be too much different.”
A new digital TV menu will be put up in the lobby, there is a new phone number at 402-694-4161 and Slocum stated she would bring her marketing background to attract more customers. 
“I’ll be trying to get more visibility, I think, and doing a little bit more marketing stuff,” she said. “Because that’s where I come from -- the more connection and relationships (side of it).”
Johnson stated that despite her new focus that she might pop behind the counter every now and then.
“I might be back,” she stated. “I mean, there’s an open door. She’s like you can come work anytime you want. So we’ll see.” 
Though the ownership has changed, Slocum said she hopes that the support and family of the Coaster patrons will stay the same. 
“I’m thankful for the support and the feedback we’ve gotten from customers in the past week about those (changes),” she said. “I’ve been very positive. A lot of them are excited. But like me, they are sad see Sara go. It will be weird doing it without her day-to-day... So yeah, I’m excited and I’m sad at the same time.”