Mad Priest Coffee Roasters is expanding to open a full cafe and cocktail bar at 719 Cherry St. downtown.
Michael Rice, owner of Mad Priest Coffee Roasters, and Matt Sears, owner of Haskel and Sears Design and Construction (and the 719 Cherry Street building) will be partnering in a new venture called The Mad Priest: Coffee & Cocktails.
Their mission statement says, “Good drinks open our minds to new possibilities, spark creativity, and bridge people and cultures.” And their endeavor is to continue in the tradition of the early coffee houses of the Ottoman Empire that were places of socializing, intellectual discourse, and political debate.
The Mad Priest will be open at 7 a.m. to serve coffee alongside lighter, healthy breakfast and lunch options throughout the day, with an evening transition to full craft cocktail bar (with beer and wine options) and tapas. The grand opening is set for early fall.
They will run a Kickstarter campaign in June to raise money for some of the start-up costs--while involving the community in their expansion--with rewards like gift cards to the new space, tickets to exclusive cultural events, and of course, coffee. There will also be a free launch party on Friday, June 1, at the new Chattanooga Whiskey Distillery with coffee cocktails, food, and live music.
Find more information at www.madpriestcha.com or www.facebook.com/madpriestcha