“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” – John 1:7
Gabbie McFarlin is a Christian, mother of 4, Carnesville City Council member, and owner and operator of Mama Mac’s Coffee & Sandwiches. Since her start-up in April of last year, she has made an indelible mark on Carnesville and Franklin County as a whole, with more to come.
Planting Seeds
McFarlin grew up in Homer, Georgia, but moved to Carnesville only six years ago while pursuing a degree in early childhood education. After the birth of her youngest son, she stayed home to take care of him, but the path she was on in school left her feeling disconnected like the Lord was calling on her to do something else.
The McFarlin family had bought the old barbershop on the corner of Carnesville Square with the intention of flipping it, but during the renovations, she saw the need for community and togetherness and decided that this was the solution to her problems.
“When I started this coffee shop, it was never about coffee; it’s about planting seeds, community connections, and spreading the gospel,” says Mcfarlin.
With spreading the gospel being the leading force behind Mama Mac’s brand, it was a no-brainer for McFarlin to start her women’s Bible study group hosted at the brand-new 9563 event room in Carnesville. Aside from that, her efforts to build up Carnesville are apparent through her work as a newly elected city council member.
“It’s always been Carnesville, this is home, we do life here,” says McFarlin. “I see the potential we have here, and I want Carnesville to be a place we’re proud to call home. I want to feel like I did my part.”
Being The Light
McFarlin has been adamant about working with her community, hosting events, promoting small businesses, and giving back to a city that has given so much to her. In only one year of being in business, she’s hosted two large-scale events: “The Family Fun on the Square,” where she helped draw in crowds to support local businesses, and her “Pack a Backpack” event for which she teamed up with local churches, business, and police to provide children with school supplies received through donations.
Gabbie McFarlin has already given so much to Carnesville and has no plans to stop. If you’d like to support her and her family, follow Mama Mac’s Coffee & Sandwiches on Facebook, Instagram (mamamacs_athensst), TikTok (mamamacs_athensst), or check them out on their website.
If you’d like to visit Mama Mac in person, her shop is located at 175 Athens Street in Carnesville, Georgia.
