Local college grads opening Morning Grind this week

Published 1:29 pm Monday, October 17, 2022

Jared and Bridgette Smith are embarking on what has been a dream for both of them. The duo attended college in Milledgeville, and now are preparing to open their coffee shop, Morning Grind. 

Bridgette said she spent the past seven years as a manager in the food industry and found a real passion for developing relationships with customers. She also took joy in having responsibility for a team that places emphasis on quality customer service. 

Jared said that he has always been “business-oriented” dating back to his elementary school days when he sold items for family friends on eBay.

They have always had a sort of passion for coffee, which only grew for Bridgette and Jared as  both got older. 

“We are both very lucky that we share the same passion and goals, so we couldn’t pass the opportunity to open our own coffee shop in the town we went to college in,” Jared said. 

Bridgette attended Georgia Military College, while Jared went to Georgia College & State University. They had always discussed opening a coffee shop. In fact, the pair was looking at locations and cities for their business when the chance to open a shop in Milledgeville emerged. 

“We were familiar with the town and loved the idea of opening a coffee shop in a college town to provide a high-quality coffee experience to students and residents of the town,” Bridgette explained. 

Morning Grind is located at 451 W. Montgomery St., Suite A and will officially open on Thursday, Oct. 20.

Customers find all sorts of goodies on the menu at Morning Grind. There is espresso, drip coffee and cold brew, along with pastries, and both breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The menu will change with time based on customer demands and requests.

“We are young business owners and passionate about the service we provide. Nothing makes us happier than making a cup of coffee for a customer and seeing their reaction when they take a sip,” she said.“Each day Jared and I will be actively engaged in all aspects of the business to ensure an exceptional experience.” 

The process of building the shop was extensive, according to Bridgette, who explained that the previous business in the space “didn’t match the customer experience we wanted to convey.” This resulted in a near complete overhaul, which included changing the layout of the counters and repainting the walls. 

“We have received nothing but positive comments from people passing by or messages from our social media accounts,” she said. “We look forward to creating relationships with the community and attending events.

“It’s a bit of a cliche, but if you do what you love then you won’t work a day in your life,” Bridgette said. “We love coffee, we love the atmosphere that it creates, and the people that come with it.”