Most storefront operations hope for a lot of walk-up traffic to come in to inspect their wares.

The just-opened “3:12” at 312 N. Main St., hopes walk-ins, instead of making an impulse buy, will find a sense of community, connect with a higher power or get help with a drug or alcohol addiction.

The new community space had an open house Friday to introduce what Valerie Checkeye of North Main Street Church of God hopes will be a place “to meet people where they are and share with them the reason for our hope.”

She said it will also be a place to refer those with emergency needs to one of the ministries in Butler and connect those struggling with addiction with an appropriate recovery group.

She said the name 3:12 is a reference to Colossians 3:12: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

“We didn't want to name it something overtly churchy nor anything to do with our church, because this is a community space,” she said.

Her husband, Jim, added North Main Street Church of God “hopes other Christ-based organizations will partner with us and use it as a meeting place or an outpost so to speak.”

One of the groups that feels it would benefit from a greater presence in downtown Butler is Adult & Teen Challenge, a 14-month faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.

Don Poole, with Adult & Teen Challenge's prison ministry, said the group was already working with Light of Light Mission, when the chance came to connect with potential clients.

Poole said, “We're here for good. The storefront will be a referral center for our induction center in Cheswick.”

Jason Drish, the Cheswick center's house manager and counselor, said the 30-year old organization founded by “The Cross and the Switchblade” author David Wilkers, has a four-month induction phase followed by a 10-month treatment at its Berks County facility.

Valerie Checkeye said, “We believe that Adult & Teen Challenge is a huge part of the solution to the drug epidemic in our city. They would like to use the space to educate and for recruiting for their program.”

Drish said the organization has an 86 percent success rate over five years.

“I attribute the success to Jesus Christ and the program being long-term, in-patient and faith-based,” Drish said.

Poole said the group visits 12 county jails throughout Western Pennsylvania, including the Butler County Prison.

“We preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and tell them about Adult & Teen Challenge,” Poole said adding 20 Butler County inmates were interested in the program.

Valerie Checkeye said people dropping by 3:12 can be put in contact with Poole or Drish which is just what the church hoped when it found the empty storefront last fall during a group prayer walks through downtown.

The building was owned by the Cunningham Shanor heating and air conditioning business, she said.

“Our church has a contract with Cunningham Shanor for our heating and air conditioning needs. We met with them and asked if they would lease us the storefront space for free to do ministry out of and they agreed,” she said.

Terri Patterson, the property manager for Cunnigham Shanor, said “It was vacant for about three months before the church took it over.”

“The church asked Cunningham and Shanor about it,” Patterson said. “They approached Duwayne (Cunningham) and Paul (Shanor) and they said we could do some good.”

Patterson said the company signed a one-year lease with the church for $1 effective Jan. 1.

Valerie Checkeye said it took three months to get the necessary work done and permits issued leading up to Friday's open house.

While plans for 3:12 haven't been completed, she invites interested groups or churches to contact her at North Main Street Church of God at 724-285-4214 or e-mail ValerieC@NorthMainCOG.org.