COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Eloquence Fashion Cafe, an internet cafe and store, recently joined the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce (GCGCC). To celebrate, they held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the business’s location at 900 Front Ave, Suite 210 in Columbus.

Debbie Seeley of the GCGCC introduced Natasha and Brian Johnson, co-owners of the business.

Natasha thanked everyone for coming and recognized special people in the audience.

Seeley asked Natasha to explain what Eloquence Fashion Cafe offers.

“When you walk in, we have an internet café because we are nestled between Columbus State’s downtown campus,” Natasha said. “… [T]he internet is free. And we have a coffee bar. Coffee is at a discounted rate for the students. And anybody else, we pretty much offer discounts.”

Natasha said the business sells clothing, handmade jewelry, candles, scrubs, drinks and light snacks.

Seeley asked Natasha to tell everyone about her military career.

“Pretty much everyone knows that I was in the military for 23 years, nine months and seventeen days,” Natasha said. “… And the reason why I decided to open up a clothing boutique is because when I was in the military for that length of time, I knew what clothes I had, and they were free for the most part.”

She pointed to a soldier’s uniform.

“So I didn’t buy any clothes hardly,” she said. “When I went out, it was only sweatpants and, you know a jogging suit or something like that because I was always in that uniform. So I said when I retire, I will open up a clothing boutique, and I will make sure that I dress for success – sassy, yet classy for everyone else around.”

Natasha’s mother-in-law, Connie Johnson, led everyone in prayer before Natasha cut the ribbon.

Natasha’s nephew, Robert Foster, was present to celebrate her business and promote a book he co-authored, “Exam Week.” Foster said the book was a murder mystery that took place at a college.

“And it’s basically just about everything that’s going on around us,” he said. “You know, when we go through things in life, we don’t really realize or be affected by them until they hit personally to us. And so, we just tried to make a book that helped everybody relate to somebody.”

Foster said the book is available on Amazon.