KENT, Ohio — Have you ever heard of a sports coffee shop? Two female entrepreneurs are bringing the concept to downtown Kent, opening State Champs on Franklin Avenue.
State Champs will host its grand opening on Saturday, April 13, at 10 a.m. The shop will have giveaways, drinks, special guests, and games for the kids.
Customers couldn't help but pop in on Friday to check out what the coffee and the sports were all about. We love the decor...TVs...it's great," said Lauren Parnell of Stow.
Folks are trying to figure out what Browns memorabilia, sports on TV, championship shirts, and bobbleheads really have to do with lattes.
"I think we both saw it on Instagram. We're always looking for new coffee shops. This one was really cool because it's kind of sports themed to and we're both big sports people," said Ryan Parnell.
Ryan and Lauren Parnell wanted State Champs to be a welcoming diversion from a sports bar, "neither one of us are huge drinkers, if we do go to a bar, she is always asking if they have coffee anyways," said Parnell.
Lauren Parnell continued, "I think this will be a pretty common hangout spot for us."
Co-owners Ally Eclarin and Cassy Kopp want to make sure everyone, whether they're a coffee lover or sports fanatic or not, feels at home,
"We had someone come in they're like, I didn't really know coffee before, but now I know I'm an iced mocha girl, and I'm like yes! If you happen to come in and you're like, I'm not really into sports but every time I come into State Champs Caitlin Clark is on TV, now I know her story," said Eclarin.
The co-owners are passionate supporters of women's sports, featuring women's athletes and games in their decor and on their TVs to level the playing field for men and women.
"We were closed putting up our sign they were peeking through the window like this is a big deal for us, you have women on your walls. They're like, 'Do you play women's sports?' We're like yes, it's on, pretty regularly," said Eclarin.
But the shop promises to put on your favorite game or team year-round. Cassy Kopp said, "there's people that are like can we put the Steelers on, I'm like OK."
When you really think about it, sports and coffee are both about togetherness, the human connection. Marrying the two at State Champs might make a combination as classic as coffee and caramel.
"You have that sober part of it, but you also have the younger generation who are coming in that would like to learn more about sports as well because, my Dad watched football but I'm not really into football but I like women's basketball, this is a place where you can feel comfortable and do that," said Kopp.
