Christian Peterson
reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com
Ellianos may be a franchise, but with Gary and Katee Robey at the helm, it’s here to help the community.
Ellianos was started in 2002 by Pam and Mike Stewart. The Stewarts spent some time in the Pacific Northwest and, there, noticed the popular idea of drive-thru coffee. Quickly, they returned to Lake City and opened the first Ellianos location. The goal of the Ellianos franchise is “to serve Italian quality at America’s pace.” However, Gary and Katee have an extra mission, as well; they wish to prove Ellianos to a small town.
Katee started working at the original Ellianos location in 2009. Throughout her experience working as an employee, she already wanted and hoped to own a store one day, even going so far as to predict the shop would be placed in front of the old Publix location in Live Oak. It was a goal that she continued to pursue and, eventually, was rewarded. In July 2020, the Live Oak location was officially opened. Immediately, the algorithm of the drive-thru coffee shop proved itself once again. This time, with extra assistance from the Robeys. Using social media and the name recognition, they quickly made Ellianos a popular coffee shop. However, their work didn’t stop there.
In an interview, the Robeys acknowledged the bad rep of franchise stores. They have a goal of changing that image. Their wish is to prove that a franchise store can be helpful to a small community and a small town by providing jobs, as well as good products and services to the small community. The Robeys also acknowledged their overwhelming gratitutde in an interview, citing their staff as a huge source of inspiration, as well as help throughout their journey so far. They also acknowledged the appreciation of the community, stating they did not expect, but are incredibly grateful for the community’s reception.
Ellianos is special in the aspect that it is strictly drive-thru. The store has two separate operating lines, where a person will drive up to the window, order, pay and receive their drink all in the span of two minutes. The shop provides work for those of any age, but especially for young adults who need the help and more flexible hours. The staff includes many students and other community members and is constantly adding on new people. Ellianos, itself, is always looking for new and innovative ways to provide beverages to everyone. Ellianos has a plethora of coffee types and styles and is constantly updating their menu to find what’s the best for the community. Ellianos is located at 1541 Ohio Ave. S., in Live Oak.