Fifteen minutes from SHS, in Greenwood, is for-benefit coffee shop, Coffeehouse Five. Surrounded by banks, planning departments and auto shops, the coffee shop doesn’t look like much, however this little building has a big mission.

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Coffeehouse Five was started up by Amanda Peters and her parents, Brian and Michelle Peters, about seven years ago after years of seeing a number of struggling families and marriages. The three decided to start a coffee shop, existing solely to benefit the community.

The shop gives off almost an industrial, rustic vibe with a couple of the walls being cinder block, crimped metal bordering the counter along with the big wooden table surrounded by matching wooden chairs. On the wall space between the bathrooms, there were about 100 mugs hung on pegs. Each mug had a name on the bottom, and the sign on the wall above explained that for the price of a mug ($12), the buyer would receive a 15 percent discount on any drink purchased. They even offered to clean and store the cups for you.

While having minimal art on the walls, there was a tall strip of brick with a small, decorative, electric fire built into the wall right below the shop’s mission statement: preparation, counseling, recovery, training and support that they offer through free premarital counseling, marriage counseling, addiction recovery programs, mentor couple training while also donating 10 percent of the proceeds to local nonprofits.

While providing all the basics of a regular coffee shop, Coffeehouse Five is also a church. The community gathers to sing, study the bible and hang out together right there in the shop. Every Sunday, the worship is recorded and put on their website, coffeehousefive.com/worship.

After browsing their menu, I indulged in a sandwich, named Italian, which consisted of prosciutto, mozzarella,  sun-dried tomatoes, and oregano on grilled parmesan sourdough in addition to a mocha. The mocha was delightful, but seemed to be uniquely flavored in a way, with almost a tang. After talking to the owner and barista, Amanda Peters, I found out that the chocolate in the mocha is less sweet and slightly bitter. This I would recommend to those with a more mature palete. The sandwich came in a tin, basket-like bowl with about two handfuls of popcorn, which was a pleasant surprise considering I didn’t see it on the menu.

Overall, the vibe and the staff made the experience a positive one. Along with the unique idea behind the business and the gourmet foods, Coffeehouse Five is just a cool coffee shop that I think is definitely worth a visit.