![]() ![]() “He’s had a couple of people come up to him and share their stories of dealing with cancer…The funniest thing for my wife and I, however, is to see him take various ‘selfies’ with people, and we have jokingly said he could run for office soon with the amount of people he is talking with.” He truly loves interacting with each person as they enter the door of Gramps,” Greg said. ![]() “It’s been great seeing my dad - who we jokingly call our mascot - being able to care for people as they come and go from the shop. In fact, Gramps, who is in remission, can often be found greeting customers from inside the shop, but recently has been holding the door open for customers as most of the seats inside are taken. Gramps is the name the Gilmore’s youngest son bestowed on Dennis, and they felt this was the perfect name for a community coffee and donut shop. The name of the establishment honors Greg’s dad, Dennis. “We know that the building has seen and heard many stories over the years, and we wanted to keep that sense of history and add to its story with what Gramps is doing,” Greg said. They added a long, high-top table and a seating area in the front for customers to spend time. The Gilmores also exposed some of the original brick and restored the original tin ceiling. “The building is over 100 years old and used to house the Chamber of Commerce, the Red Cross, and other businesses over the years.” “We want everything we do to be done with a unique twist, so we updated the building to reflect the past, but also add a modern take to the space, as well,” Greg said. The Gilmores searched for the perfect location that would include character and charm, which they believe they found in their location at the corner of 4th and Frederica. During this time, the Gilmores realized that life was short and decided they needed to make Amy’s dream a reality. Two years ago, Greg’s dad Dennis was diagnosed with bone cancer, and he was unable to visit coffee shops, something he would regularly do and where he would tell jokes, share stories, meet and mentor people. That dream was on hold until a family event pushed it to the forefront. Amy had always wanted to start a bakery where she could not only serve customers but also develop relationships with those who entered. Gramps’ owners Amy and Greg Gilmore returned to Owensboro six years ago after living in Lexington for almost two decades. Gramps Coffee and Donuts is new to the scene in Owensboro, but for the customers who enter, the feeling is not one of entering a new place, but rather visiting an established neighborhood coffee shop. Greg Gilmore said the coffee and donut shop will have the entire first floor of the 1893 building that was formerly home to the American Red Cross and before that to the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.Gramps brings their unique take on donuts to Downtown ![]() They expect to have a staff of about 10 people and get their ingredients from local farms. Once that's doing well, they said, they may add other items.Īmy Gilmore said her donuts "will be flaky, more of a pastry." The Gilmores say they'll start with a menu of just coffee and donuts. Gramps will be the second coffee shop downtown, but the first donut shop. "Downtown Owensboro is a lot different today from when we were growing up. "We loved the vibrancy of downtown Lexington," he said. The Gilmores returned to Owensboro and Owensboro Christian nearly six years ago. That's when we decide to open Gramps Coffee and Donuts with his face on the logo." He's OK now, but he went through a rough patch. "He liked to go to a coffee shop there, sit with people, tell them corny jokes and visit with them," Greg Gilmore said. Greg and Amy Gilmore grew up in Owensboro, but they left in 1998 when he joined the staff of Crossroads Christian Church in Lexington.ĭennis Gilmore moved to Lexington not long after that. Dennis Gilmore is the inspiration behind the business. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |