The Beginning
In 2022, the Boone County Economic Development Corporation reached out to Freedom Church with an idea. There was a property owner on the square in downtown Lebanon who was searching for a tenant. They had a vision for a coffee shop and community event space and wanted to see that carried out by someone with deep roots in the community that would be around for the long-run. When they asked the EDC for help, they presented us with the idea.
After several months of conversations, we eventually purchased the building and we've been working behind the scenes toward renovating it into a vibrant community space with a coffee shop. This will be unlike anything currently in Lebanon. There are several bars and drive-through-focused coffee shops, but there is no space that prioritizes a comfortable, inviting, and alcohol-free community space where people of all ages can gather, linger, and find community. Through Oaks on Main, we aim to fill that gap.
The Objective
Oaks on Main is a physical extension of Freedom Church and the Kingdom of God, and our goal is to foster community and relationships among the people of Lebanon by offering a variety of events and services in a safe, alcohol-free environment that’s open to people of all ages and backgrounds.
We know that this type of space is something that people in Lebanon are looking for. Through community engagement, The Heart of Lebanon, our local accredited Main Street Organization, found that 47% of local respondents wanted a coffee shop or bakery in the downtown area. Through further analysis, they determined that what community members wanted was a place they could go, meet a friend, have a meeting, work, relax, and have some type of experience. That type of environment is exactly what we have set out to create, as no one else in Lebanon is filling that gap.
We’re in this for the long-run. Freedom Church has been a staple in the city of Lebanon for over 16 years, and we’re not going anywhere. Our goal is for Oaks on Main to be the same - a tangible extension of Freedom Church that becomes a long-term integral part of our city. We don’t just want to be a “third space” like other coffee shops (an alternative to work and home), we want to be a second home - a place where people who need people can find people. We’re a beacon of hope and light in a dark world.
The Space
Our building is a two-story structure, just under 5,000 square feet, on the historic downtown square in Lebanon, Indiana. It’s filled with hints of the past like beautiful tin ceilings on both levels, an expansive skylight on the upstairs level, and an ornate front facade that has been recently restored. The front windows overlook the Boone County Courthouse in the middle of the town square.
After our construction is complete, the first floor will be a coffee shop with a variety of seating options for about 40 guests. We’ll also have a small kitchen that allows us to offer a simple food menu.
The upstairs, accessible by elevator and stairs, will be a community event space with seating for up to 80 people. We’ll use this space for a variety of church and community events - things like recovery programs, after-school tutoring, business incubation, small groups, trivia, open mic nights, and other events that encourage public dialogue. We’ll also rent the space out for private events when the schedule is clear.
The Timeline
We closed on the building in December of 2022 and immediately started working with a local design and architectural firm to develop the construction plans. Meanwhile, we got to work on some much-needed structural updates that were required to get the building up to commercial code, as well as some light interior demolition to prepare the building for construction.
In January of 2024, we completed the design phase and submitted the construction plans to the state, with approval coming shortly after that. In April 2024, we started framing the interior walls.
We anticipate the entire construction process to last about ten months, leading us to an opening date in early 2025.