Editor’s note: From Oct. 1-8, we’ll be featuring each of the winners from the eight categories of the Owensboro Times Eat Down the Street Competition. The championship week of the voting competition will begin Oct. 11, when eight finalists will face off for the title of the overall favorite local restaurant. Today, we feature Gramps Coffee and Donuts, which was voted as the favorite local coffee/bakery.
Ever since their opening in early July, Gramps Coffee and Donuts has been exceeding their own expectations. For owner Amy Gilmore, she recalls the first day they opened they were just hoping to have customers.
“I remember that morning I thought ‘I hope people come,’ because we had no clue if people would come and other than social media, we didn’t really advertise,” Gilmore said.
She said other than telling friends and family, they hadn’t really spread the news about the location. So when they sold out on their first day in a matter of hours, she was surprised by the amount of support lining out their door.
Now, Gilmore said they sell out at least once a week, and it’s unpredictable which day of the week that is. However, Gilmore thinks it’s their coffee that keeps people coming back.
Gramps uses Onyx coffee — which Gilmore said is not offered otherwise around the area, and she hears just how much her customers enjoy it.
And just as much as the customers enjoy Gramps’ coffee and doughnuts, Gilmore enjoys them, if not even more so. Gilmore said she tries her best to learn customers’ names, as they’ve built a group of regulars.
She said for her the process of opening has been fun but tiring, but she has been excited every day coming to work since the start.
“I get excited to see the people. I love what I’m doing and it’s so much fun. I really have enjoyed that part and I really like being out and about in town,” Gilmore said.
Although they have only been open a short time, they already plan to expand a bit. The plan is to open a second dining area that will seat about 20 people by the end of next month. After that, there are plans of taking the business to the road, but those plans will be released later.
