The New Norm

August 10-16, 2020

Reset on life

By Cait Smith
caitlin@dailydata.com

I have been conversing with different individuals about the effects COVID-19 has caused to their jobs and/or businesses. So far, what I have learned is that no matter where you work or what you do, this virus have impacted you in some shape, form, or fashion. While some people’s issues were more extreme than others, these individuals all were in agreeance on one thing: slow down. A dire situation has given us a reason to regroup, recuperate, reorganize, and reset. 

A reset is exactly what Heaven McKinney got after realizing she would have to shut down her coffee shop, The Grind Coffee Bistro to save on costs. While most restaurants were able to pivot their hours, McKinney kept her doors closed. “Yes, as a restaurant I could have stayed open, but I thought about the overhead cost and would it be worth it. It just was not ideal in my eyes,” she explained. Quite a few coffee shops transitioned to online methods, but because The Grind is a smaller business, McKinney did not feel the need to follow suit. 

McKinney also remained closed due the fact that she was a one woman show. Prior to stay-at-home orders, she was operating by herself – making specialty drinks and food items on her extended menu. “Occasionally, my friends would help me out, but I was pretty much doing everything myself.” However, this was no issue for McKinney as her first ‘Grind’ coffee shop was located in Sherwood, Arkansas and she was a one-woman show there as well. 

Those nine weeks that The Grind was closed, Heaven found herself embedded in a routine of driving to the Pleasant Ridge Town Center in West Little Rock – where her coffee shop is located – and cleaning her shop or making a coffee for herself. “I tried to stay on routine to keep my mental state intact. It was a hard blow, especially when you cannot do much about it. I prayed and one day I opened back up and went from there,” McKinney said. 

Indeed, The Grind reopened and got the healthy reset it needed. Thanks to the push for support of black-owned businesses, McKinney experienced an abundance of new customers. “My following grew big time which I am grateful for. I have such a diverse group coming into [The Grind] now,” she said. And with her huge following came new hires. McKinney realized she would need to hire some help if she were to remain open. “With all the events that have happened, I knew I was going to have to step up and ask for help,” she said. Now McKinney has four hard-working employees by her side. 

As we move forward into the later months of the year, McKinney declared she is excited to see where her coffee shop takes her. “The food industry is growing. There is more diversity being added from what we’ve seen in the past. I am happy to be a part of it,” she said. 

PHOTO CAPTION: (Photo courtesy of Facebook, The Grind Coffee Bistro)  

Heaven McKinney (left), owner of The Grind Coffee Bistro, posing with one of her loyal customers.