STOMPING GROUNDS Coffee Shop re-opened at the intersection of N. Saginaw and E. Clinton streets in downtown Durand on Thursday, May 2, after being closed for just more than two months. New owners Jacquie and Dave Forrest, both lifelong Durand residents and graduates of Durand High School, have re-opened the popular local establishment, which closed abruptly on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
To celebrate the re-opening, the Greater Durand Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting which was attended by many city officials and longtime Stomping Grounds patrons. Jacquie and Dave will use the restaurant’s existing menu and ingredients, and they have re-hired the former employees, as well.
“We won’t be making too many changes to the menu,” shared Jacquie. “We weren’t looking to reinvent the wheel. Nikole created something really fantastic for this town, and we just want to continue it. I worked for Nikole before she closed in February, so I have a pretty good feel for the kitchen and the menu, but our employees – this is their first day back from college – have really been training me so far. And it has been great having Nikole here for any glitches I might encounter. Between her and our employees, I feel confident we can serve the same exact excellence as she did.”
The decision to purchase Stomping Grounds was not anything the Forrests had previously discussed, until Nikole decided to sell the establishment and the opportunity presented itself. Jacquie had recently left her job with Flint Township, so when Hartzell made the decision to close in February, Jacquie and Dave found themselves in a position to actually consider purchasing the shop. Dave is still employed at Brandmotion in Southfield, which manufactures automotive safety products, but Jacquie says her dream of owning a coffee shop was too much to resist, especially once all the pieces started falling into place.
“I was back there washing dishes in February when Nikole came up to me and told me, ‘You know, you can buy this coffee shop,’” Jacquie recounts. “Interestingly enough, I have always been a coffee girl, I’ve always dreamed of opening a coffee shop, and I have been a big supporter of Stomping Grounds since it opened. My heart has been here since the day it opened, and it is still here. This was a literal godsend. God opens up these doors for us, and you have to be ready to take that leap of faith when the opportunity presents itself.”
For now, Stomping Grounds will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. They will be closed on Mondays. Stomping Grounds’ popular “Freak Shakes” will return to the menu on Friday, May 10, and the coffee shop is already stocked up on hand-dipped ice cream, just in case the Michigan spring weather ever decides to make an appearance.
(Independent Photo/Graham Sturgeon)
