First Pentecostal starts work on Cox Center

Construction is under way on First Pentecostal
Church's 15,000 square-foot Virgil Cox Family
Life Center. The facility is scheduled to open
in the summer of 2012. (Photo by John H. Walker)

Bogalusa’s First Pentecostal Church, located at 14532 Highway 21 South, has begun construction on its 15,000-square foot Virgil Cox Family Life Center, named after long-time pastor, Virgil Cox (1976-1992).

And that’s cause for rejoicing on two fronts. First, church members and their guests will have the opportunity to benefit from the Family Life Center. Second, if you’re a Starbucks© lover, you’ll benefit from the Holy Grounds Coffee House.

Houston

By the end of summer 2012, Starbucks© lovers will have access to the complete menu of the Seattle-based company and churchgoers will have access to basketball and volleyball courts, a bowling alley, video games and an exercise facility. Only the coffee shop will be open to the public.

Progress on the building has been quick, as First Pentecostal Pastor Travis Houston tweeted to his followers on May 24 that, “Metal for the Family Life Center just showed up!”

He said the facility could be completed more quickly, but that his plan is to build it debt-free. “I just don’t want to incur the debt.”

Houston said Starbucks© products will be sold exclusively in Holy Grounds. “We’ll have everything Starbucks has to offer,” he told wpnewsblog. “I’ve met with the Starbucks© people and when you come in here, it will be just like walking into a Starbucks© in Covington or New Orleans or anyplace else.”

“When I moved here three years ago, I wanted to bring something to Bogalusa,” he said. “We need something for people to do. I’ve not lost that vision. People complain about not having anything to do in Bogalusa and I believe in trying to contribute and making things better.”

Holy Grounds will seat 46 and offer internet access, but will not be branded as a Starbucks© on the outside. Houston said exterior branding in prohibited, but that there are no such restrictions on interior signage.

He said the Starbucks© logo will be present throughout Holy Grounds … “The logo will be displayed throughout the store and we can use it in advertising, “ he said. “It will be like walking into any Starbucks.”

Houston is hoping the profits from the coffee shop will help pay some of the bills for the massive family life center, which will be located on the north side of the existing sanctuary. Included in the new family life center will be basketball and volleyball courts, four bowling lanes, arcade-style video games and separate exercise and workout rooms for men and women.

Houston added the public would have access only to Holy Grounds and not the family life center.

Preliminary plans call for Holy Grounds to be open seven days a week.

(Published first at www.wpnewsblog.com)