By Hamilton Richardson
Elmore/Autauga News
Top Photo: Ellianos opened up the Pine Level location on April 4 2022.
Weary souls in Prattville and Millbrook who need their morning pick-me-up have enjoyed the opportunity to get it at Ellianos Coffee in their respective areas, but as of about three weeks ago, Pine Level residents with sleepy eyes can do the same.
“We have had individuals tell us that they would like to see an Ellianos up in the Pine Level area, but the owner of the Piggly Wiggly is responsible for sparking the idea of putting an Ellianos in that location,” said owner Lori Walter. “Ellianos seeks to serve local customers and this location certainly met that standard.”
According to Walter, Ellianos Prattville was opened in January of 2018 and it was the first Ellianos to open in Alabama. The Prattville store was store number 12 in the franchise. The Millbrook store opened in December 2020 and Ellianos Pine Level just opened on April 4 of this year. At this time, these are the only Ellianos in Alabama and all others are located in Florida and Georgia.
“We discovered Ellianos on a trip to Florida during a stop in Lake City,” Walter said as she explained the business’ history. “We were impressed with the quality of the product and the service we received. After reading about Ellianos on their website, we discovered that they franchise. Steve (Walter) has an entrepreneurial spirit and decided to research what it would take to open a franchise here in our area. We visited all of the Ellianos on the map at that time and visited with many of the owners of the other franchises to get a true idea of what is involved in opening and running an Ellianos.”
After the success of the Prattville store, the Walters hired an operations manager to help manage the potential of more growth.
“Jered (Jones) joined Ellianos in January 2020 and is now the Operations Manager for all of the stores, including Prattville, Millbrook, Pine Level, and the future location in Clanton,” Walter said. “We are very pleased with the experience and commitment he has brought with him. We are proud of the leadership and enthusiasm he brings to all of the teams at each location.”
Jones came to Ellianos because of what he saw in the coffee and the commitment of its owners.
“The quality of the product was the whole reason I wanted to come onboard,” said Jones. “I knew that the coffee industry was growing and I already had experience with Ellianos before they ever came to Prattville. I have family that live in Kingsley, Georgia where they have a location so I’ve known about them for eight, maybe 10 years. The fact that they came to my hometown and then I get to work here, it’s kind of full circle.”
The Ops Manager added that there are some good reasons Ellianos is growing so quickly in the area.
“It’s growing for a couple of reasons,” he said. “Number one, it’s a really high-quality product. Two, the business model is ideal for people that are on the go. I thought that our area could support more than just Prattville and they’ve shown that, and they’ve shown it well.”
Jones points to a high-quality staff as well.
“All the staff does a really good job of taking care of the customers in a timely manner and we’re only going to get better the longer we are here,” he commented. “I’m proud of all our staff. Customer service is one of the hardest industries to be in.”
Walter sees all three stores, and any that open in the future, as being part of the Ellianos community.
“We consider Prattville and Millbrook to be our home community and we definitely see Pine Level as part of our community,” she said. “We believe Pine Level will continue to grow and prosper, and we hope to be able to serve and inspire those that will be there for all that is in the future ahead.”
For more information on Ellianos and its locations, go online to www.ellianos.com
