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Bridgette Smith and her husband, Jared Smith, purchased the old gas station and former home to Olde Tyme Hot Dogs at the corner of West Montgomery and North Columbia streets. The building has now been turned into a humble, naturally decorated coffee shop.
“Opening a coffee shop has been a dream of mine since I was in high school,” said Bridgette. “The fact that Morning Grind is now open here is just amazing.”
According to Bridgette, she always loved the atmosphere of a coffee shop and the range of types of coffee. Opening Morning Grind, she hopes to help locals expand their coffee tastes and fall in love with the calm, peaceful atmosphere of the shops that she loved in high school.
“We want everyone to know, when they walk in that we care about them, that we want to serve great coffee and that we adore this shop and town,” said Bridgette.
The couple frequent a coffee shop in their hometown that offers a very personal experience with the owners being present, offering space for customers to stay and work, and having a special awareness that allows customers to find their ideal comfort place. This is what Jared and Bridgette aspire Morning Grind to be, with an emphasis on individual customer service.
“One of us is always here in the shop because our favorite part of the day is interacting with our customers,” said Bridgette.
Part of their adoration to engage with the public comes from both owners being alumni of local colleges. Bridgette is a graduate of Georgia Military College and Jared is a graduate of Georgia College & State University.
“Fate brought us to Milledgeville,” said Bridgette. “After we moved away, our families began to migrate back to Milledgeville and we already had ties to the city from our time as students, so when this place was for sale, I just felt that it was right. We could not have picked a better location or city to open our dream shop.”
Before opening Morning Grind, Bridgette worked over seven years in the restaurant business in Baldwin County and other areas. The couple also previously shadowed a friend’s coffee shop in Alpharetta to learn more about the business.
“We are still learning every day,” said Bridgette. “But we already have a very distinct taste to our coffee and have fallen in love with our coffee and the creativity behind it. The public is sharing this same passion for it as well, which excites us.”
On their menu, Bridgette’s personal favorite drinks are their drip coffee and vanilla latte. However, their most popular coffee on the menu is the Milledgeville Mocha.
“The KB’s Blend is becoming very popular as well,” Bridgette said with an adoring smile. “That drink is very special to us because it is named after our nephew Kalani Tejedor, who recently passed. It’s our way of honoring them and we are so glad our customers are favoring the drink.”
Along with coffees, Morning Grind sells hot teas, smoothies and various foods for breakfast and lunch. The shop also has a walk-up window and indoor seating for grab-and-go orders, and they plan to add outdoor seating.
“Our breakfast and lunch menus are shocking to our customers,” said Bridgette. “We have tasty, quick and easy meals that are perfect to pick up on your way to class or work.”
Morning Grind welcomes any coffee enthusiasts to visit at 451 West Montgomery Street, Suite A. They are open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.