IBERIA PARISH — On Main Street in downtown New Iberia, the sound of espresso machines and the smell of fresh coffee meet something less expected — a warm greeting from Neuvile Collins. He manages daily operations at Church Alley Coffee Shop, but for him, the work goes far beyond coffee. Collins said his story is one of faith, and a passion for connecting with others. “A lot of this where my life is leading me to in the future and as the present, it puts me in positions and opportunities for that first moment and that first impression to make that one a great one,” he said.
Collins, explained that he always felt pulled between two callings. “Cheating between two loves so I either was gonna work in medical or I was gonna work in business so I decided to keep them both,” he said.
After completing his undergraduate studies, he set his sights on building a medical business. But when doors didn’t open the way he had planned, Collins turned to his faith for direction. “I went on a pilgrimage instead,” he said.
That decision led him to sell his possessions and begin volunteering full-time with the Salvation Army. It was a season he described as life-changing. “A lot of things were just going on with me not just emotionally but just what surrounded me and that why I went through that pilgrimage to understand the bottom of it, the undergroundness of it,” Collins said.
The lessons from that journey now carry into his work at Church Alley, where he makes it a point to welcome every person who walks through the door. “I’m feeding that knowledge and I know how to relate,” he said. “When a person walks in a door, not too many people have someone to acknowledge them, ‘hey I exist’ get what I’m saying? ‘Good morning, welcome in.’ Oh, someone sees me. And people love it too, when people see it and experience it, they become a part of your world.”
For Collins, faith is the anchor that shaped his past and guides his present. He said the combination of service, community, and connection is what brings him joy. “At 42 years old, I can say I’m happy,” Collins said.
