The sound of steam from an espresso machine and the smell of freshly ground coffee beans bring a sense of nostalgia and comfort. For the remote-working business owner to the mother who just needs 10 minutes of “me” time, coffee is the “happy medium.”
That’s the feeling that Abigail Speights, founder of Grounded coffee shop, wanted to create when she graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in December and moved back to Jonesboro.
But starting a business during a pandemic proved to be more of an obstacle than she expected. From permitting delays due to having to install a grease trap, to shipping issues because of the recently closed Memphis bridge, opening day became a moving target.
Helping Speights through the startup process was the Arkansas State University ASBTDC.
The A-State center provided information and consulting assistance to help Grounded secure funding from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Finally, opening day was in sight.
Grounded held its ribbon cutting ceremony on July 1 with the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Abigail’s vision for Grounded is for it to be “a place to foster community.”
The coffee shop is located at 215 Union Street in downtown Jonesboro. The menu includes coffee as well as wraps, salads, and pastries, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients such as coffee beans and honey.
With the A-State ASBTDC’s guidance on the lending process, Grounded was able to secure a startup loan and create 10 jobs. The center also provided market research that allowed the shop to tailor its menu to local demographics.
“The ASBTDC provided us with everything we needed and more, from demographic information to answering any question we could throw at them,” said Speights.
Find out more about Grounded on its website.