CAMPUS NEWS
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04/30/01
The Ride for Chiropractic: Lorraine and Len
Mazza, D.C., Prepare for 4,800-Mile,
Cross-Country Bike Trip
APRIL 30, 2001 - Kellie Roberge
Chandler, D.C., ‘00, knew she wanted to enter
private practice with her husband, tenth-quarter
student Kevin Chandler, after his graduation in
March 2002. But she wasn’t exactly sure how she
would spend the time between their graduations.
Chandler feels it is important that she and
Kevin enter practice together, so in the “down
time” between graduations, she did what made the
most sense to her - she opened a gourmet
vegetarian restaurant, Kel’s Café, in
Spartanburg.
I wanted to maintain my focus on chiropractic
while waiting for Kevin to graduate,” Chandler
says. “Opening Kel’s Café has given me the
opportunity to educate people in the community
about health and makes it easy for me to talk to
them about chiropractic.”
A chiropractor who also has a background in
nutrition from her undergraduate studies,
Chandler knows the importance of eating healthy,
well-balanced meals. “There are so many
fast-food restaurants in Spartanburg, and I
wanted to offer something completely different,”
she says. “Kel’s Café is the only place in the
county with a menu designed for vegans and
vegetarians. I’m not here to please everyone;
I’m here to please the people who care deeply
about their health and are willing to make a
switch in their eating habits to become
healthier. I serve one dish with meat - an
Italian sub - and I only decided to serve that
because it’s my mom’s favorite meal.”
Chandler says about 90 percent of her “regulars”
are under chiropractic care. “Because most of my
customers are already health conscious, it’s
easy to bring up the subject of chiropractic,”
she says. “I explain to them that health and
chiropractic go hand-in-hand, and that to get
the best results from chiropractic care, they
need to maintain the body by eating healthy
foods too. I’ve referred a lot of my customers
to the Sherman College Chiropractic Health
Center or to local straight chiropractors.”
Chandler uses only fresh, organic ingredients
and does not have a microwave. The menu at Kel’s
Café changes weekly, but some of the more
popular items include an eggplant tomato
mozzarella cheese sandwich, Italian subs, baked
potato soup, three layer lasagna and hummus,
bean enchiladas and various vegan dishes.
Chandler also offers a variety of gourmet
coffees, herbal teas and fresh-squeezed juices.
In Kel’s Café, you’ll find futons, chairs, real
kitchen tables, armchairs, small tables, sofas
and a few more traditional booths. Chandler says
the laid-back atmosphere is designed to relax
her customers. “I want people to be as
comfortable as possible,” she says. “I don’t
want to have a fast-paced restaurant where
people feel like they have to hurry and get out.
I want them to feel like they’re at home.”
Chandler’s clients range from high school and
college students to families and seniors, and
she gets most of her business through word of
mouth. “When customers enjoy the food and
service at Kel’s Café, they share their
experiences with others,” she says. “I depend on
referrals, just as most chiropractors build
their practices on referrals.”
Chandler hopes to open more Kel’s Cafés,
possibly in Charleston, Columbia or Greenville,
SC, and perhaps in Charlotte, NC.
- Kel’s Café is located at 1000 North Pine
Street in Pinewood Shopping Center in
Spartanburg, 864-583-1330. Hours are Monday -
Friday, 7 a.m. - midnight; Saturday, 8 a.m. -
midnight; and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. If you
are in town for Lyceum, stop by for a bite and
to meet a fellow Sherman College alum.
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