The Grizzly Grind opened Oct. 17
ALTAMONT — The Grizzly Grind coffee shop has opened at Fourth and Huston in Altamont and serves coffees and espressos as well as student-made treats.
The Grind is open from 7 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday through Saturday. The Parsons Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutting on Friday for the Grind.
Labette County High School students in Juliana Moffatt’s business classes volunteer time in the coffee shop for class credit.
“Instead of going to class they come to work,” Moffatt said.
At least four students cover the shop shifts and Moffatt said she’s designated students from each of her four business classes to serve as managers. Among the managers are Konnor La-Forge, Caleb McKee, Macie Morin, Kyndal Cardin, Jessie Myers and Hadley Graves.
The coffee shop opened on Oct. 17 in space owned by Labette Bank, which does not charge rent for the shop. USD 506 Superintendent John Wyrick said the district pays utilities, water, gas, electricity, through the city of Altamont. The district’s ESSER funding related to the pandemic purchased the espresso machine and other equipment.
He said the goal is for the coffee shop to be self-sustaining after one year.
Moffatt said the broad concepts for a student-run business started about three years ago. She worked with LCHS Principal Stacy Smith, Wyrick and other administrators to make the project a reality. Her business classes have been working on business plans and ideas. Students toured other facilities to build See GRIND, Page 10.
their knowledge base and get more ideas, Moffatt said. The school district’s maintenance staff did the work to get the business ready for operation.
Any money made is folded back into the business to make it self-sustaining, Moffatt said. The first week profit was $1,200, she said.
The students split the tips. “In our first week they had $800 in tips,” Moffatt said.
The school district purchased the refrigerator for the business and other equipment in the kitchen area.
During the ribbon cutting, Moffatt thanked school board members, administrators, Smith and others for “giving our students an environment,” her voice faded in the moment and a student finished her sentence: “to continue to apply education and the real world business experience.” School teachers and their classes helped build the counter for the business and design the floor plan. Jake Knapp provided the WiFi and Labette Hardware sold the students the outdoor furniture at cost.
LCHS family and consumer sciences teacher Erin Johnston and her students provide cookies and treats that are sold at the shop.
The Grind is in a former gas station, formerly known as Eichhorn’s Service State.
Bill Wyckoff, Labette Bank president, was pleased with the work the school district accomplished and the new business in the neighborhood.
“They completely remodeled it inside here. It’s just amazing the work they did,” Wyckoff said.
“We’re really glad this is here. I say it looks pretty good. Good entrepreneurship,” he said.
