Gratia Artisanal Eatery and Sola Cigar Co. #003

In a corner of Columbus, Mississippi, tucked into a building once known as the Stone Hotel, a pair of storefronts invites people to slow down. Not to rush, not to scroll, not to hustle. Just to sit. To talk, to listen, to remember what it means to be human, and to enjoy the company of others.

The man behind the vision doesn’t carry himself like a typical business owner. For nearly a decade, James worked for the U.S. Postal Service, steady hours, dependable pay, a government issued routine. Now, you will find him managing inventory, employees, and schedules with his kids nearby, sometimes behind the register, other times prepping the humidor.

He is living a cadence he never found at the post office: a life where his faith still guides, but ministry now takes shape in more places, through creation, through coffee, through slow conversation, and through the opportunities he is helping create.

Originally from Gordo, Alabama, James White, pastor of Redeemer Church in Columbus, Mississippi, husband, father, and entrepreneur, moved to Caledonia with his wife about four years ago. James was called here to plant Redeemer Church in Columbus, a role that drew him more deeply into the community. That call deepened his connection, and in time, it opened something more: the chance to build businesses that prioritize connection over simple commerce.

Caledonia had front porches and fast food, but no indoor space built for pausing, for talking, for staying. James noticed a gap, not only in what existed, but in what was truly needed. So when a welcoming space became available, he opened 740 Coffee Co., a coffee shop and a place for people to breathe. A space for small groups, for thoughtful conversation, for local moms and neighbors needing a pause.

That shop laid the foundation for something bigger.

The next step took shape in Columbus, a shared vision brought to life through two connected storefronts: Gratia Artisanal Eatery and Sola Cigar Co. Built largely by hand with his family, the project was more than just a business expansion, it was an act of intention.

Together, their names form a simple declaration. Gratia means grace. Sola means alone. Grace alone. It is a nod to the belief that our worth, our purpose, and our salvation are not rooted in striving, but in the unearned grace of God.

Gratia, which faces 5th Street, offers breakfast, lunch, coffee, teas, and specialty drinks. Just behind it, facing 3rd Avenue South, sits Sola, a curated cigar lounge designed for reflection and conversation. Though each has its own door, they move with the same heartbeat.

Here, cigars are not just a product. They are a practice.

“When I smoke a cigar, I sit still. I slow down. It opens conversation. And it breaks barriers the church sometimes cannot, opening doors to connection with people who might not walk through a sanctuary but still long for meaningful conversation and presence.”

What happens inside a cigar lounge is often more meaningful than people expect. It is less about the cigar and more about what it makes room for: unhurried time, honest conversations, and unexpected connection.

We often view work as a burden, but it was never meant to be that way. From the beginning, it was intended to be good, a way for us to reflect God’s image and represent Him on earth.

“My desire in all of this is to build something of quality and of substance that makes much of Christ in all that I do,” he says.

Family and Formation

His children are part of this mission too. Alongside his wife, who helps lead their homeschooling life, they work hands-on in the shops, learning not just how to run a business, but how to serve people with care.

“I want them to see that they don’t have to fit in a box. That they can live with intention, be present, and create something that matters.”

He hires with the same mindset: stay at home moms, students on break, neighbors with three hour windows. His goal goes beyond efficiency. It centers on humanity.

“Most corporate jobs won’t work around your life. I want to build places where people can bring their whole selves, even if that means rethinking the schedule.”

He knows he is not alone in this desire. More and more people are yearning for spaces that feel human again, free from demands for performance or perfection, offering instead grace and presence.

In each of his shops, that is what you will find. No flashy branding or loud slogans, just something more grounded. Something truer.

A regular customer, Luke Lawson, says the coffee shop and cigar lounge aren’t just stops. They are anchors. They provide space to pause and reset, to be reminded that he is not alone. Whether surrounded by friends or meeting someone new, Luke says the sense of peace and belonging he feels there is something he genuinely looks forward to.

Living the Measure of Success

And though his days still involve paperwork and problem solving, James has a clear sense of what success looks like: alignment, not purely ambition. Being available to his church and his people. Sitting down to share meals with his kids. Supporting his wife with intention. Living out his calling as a husband, a father, and a pastor with the freedom to do so fully.

In a world driven by speed, his businesses are grounded in stillness. In a culture chasing scale, he chooses depth. And in a time when many are shouting to be heard, he chooses to sit, to listen, and to build something that reflects God’s love, with chairs pulled together, one conversation at a time, across a coffee counter, across a lounge, and always with grace.