All's well at Groundswell
New ownership at local coffee spot returns focus to community.
Maxwell Nesterak
Issue date: 1/26/10 Section: Local
"[Gilbert and Dohrmann] are more in touch with the community. Their central goal is to build up Hamline-Midway," Arnold said.
In keeping it local, all Groundswell staff have a short commute.
"Everyone who works here lives in this neighborhood. The owner lives two blocks away. I live a mile and a half away. I think that makes a difference, when you feel invested in that business it will show," Dohrmann said.
New employees have caught on quick to the community feel, Arnold said.
"I enjoyed watching the new volunteers just get it, like learning people's names. It's the 'Cheers' mentality, where everyone knows your name," Arnold said.
Groundswell was in need of a facelift when Gilbert and Dohrmann took over-- one resident donated paint for community members to coat the walls in vibrant yellow, aqua and green. Dohrmann said the paint was symbolic of a fresh start in an established shop.
"It was like buying a house that was fully furnished, and you like the house but not the furniture in it," Dohrmann said.
Titus said the updated look has gained customer approval.
"One of our customers came in and said it's got the 'living roomy' feel, and that's a compliment," Titus said.
Although the new ownership marks a kind of homecoming, Dohrmann and the staff at Groundswell said they are eager to form their own identity and separate themselves from the shop's history.
"One of the parts that we had to deal with was it used to do well and then didn't, and we're the new people, and it can't be the same shop it was before the previous owner," Dohrmann said. "We needed to acknowledge that there is a bad history. We don't want to be the place that was good, then bad, then better again. We're Groundswell Coffee."
The name "Groundswell" was invented by a neighbor and voted on by customers.
"We opened it up for a week and a half for suggestions," Dohrmann said. "We had about 30 to 45 suggestions, so we narrowed it down and held voting."
In keeping it local, all Groundswell staff have a short commute.
"Everyone who works here lives in this neighborhood. The owner lives two blocks away. I live a mile and a half away. I think that makes a difference, when you feel invested in that business it will show," Dohrmann said.
New employees have caught on quick to the community feel, Arnold said.
"I enjoyed watching the new volunteers just get it, like learning people's names. It's the 'Cheers' mentality, where everyone knows your name," Arnold said.
Groundswell was in need of a facelift when Gilbert and Dohrmann took over-- one resident donated paint for community members to coat the walls in vibrant yellow, aqua and green. Dohrmann said the paint was symbolic of a fresh start in an established shop.
"It was like buying a house that was fully furnished, and you like the house but not the furniture in it," Dohrmann said.
Titus said the updated look has gained customer approval.
"One of our customers came in and said it's got the 'living roomy' feel, and that's a compliment," Titus said.
Although the new ownership marks a kind of homecoming, Dohrmann and the staff at Groundswell said they are eager to form their own identity and separate themselves from the shop's history.
"One of the parts that we had to deal with was it used to do well and then didn't, and we're the new people, and it can't be the same shop it was before the previous owner," Dohrmann said. "We needed to acknowledge that there is a bad history. We don't want to be the place that was good, then bad, then better again. We're Groundswell Coffee."
The name "Groundswell" was invented by a neighbor and voted on by customers.
"We opened it up for a week and a half for suggestions," Dohrmann said. "We had about 30 to 45 suggestions, so we narrowed it down and held voting."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Leticia Stabrino
posted 2/03/10 @ 12:36 PM CST
I have been a customer of this coffe shop since it first opened as Factory Bean. I always liked it (and the next door wonderful yarn store), I enjoyed it before having my baby and after because it has a great children's area. (Continued…)
Aaron Kaase
posted 2/14/10 @ 8:21 AM CST
The third paragraph of this article incorrectly identifies J&S Bean Factory as the previous store. The store immediately previous to Groundswell Coffee was called "Midway Cafe". (Continued…)
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