Not-So-Heavenly Grounds: Proposed coffee shop pulls out of Tipp City

Former home of Grounds for Pleasure (Photo by Xander Enslen)

Tipp citizens are going to have to wait a little bit longer for their lattes and mochas.

Heavenly Grounds Coffee, a Mississippi business that intended to take over the former Grounds for Pleasure coffee shop, has pulled out of its purchase. The owners stated on Instagram that “circumstances came up through the demo of the coffee shop … we ran across some things that are going to make it impossible for us to open. This comes with a heavy heart because we’ve come to love this town already.”

The owners of Heavenly Grounds did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tasha Weaver, executive director of the Downtown Tipp City Partnership, said that the sale fell through after an issue was discovered during the renovation of the coffee shop. The previous shop’s set-up didn’t conform to the State of Ohio’s Uniform Food Safety Code but had been grandfathered in, said Weaver. With the new owners coming into place, a grease trap was required.

A grease trap attaches to sinks and drains and collects oils, grease, and fats—such as the oil from coffee beans and the fats in milk and creamers. A grease trap literally “traps” liquid and fatty solids and prevents them from moving into the public sewer system. Ohio Code requires grease traps not just in restaurants, but also in coffee shops.

“The owner of the building where Grounds for Pleasure used to be reached out to me as soon as the sale fell through,” said Weaver. “I was able to connect her immediately with several other local coffee shops who have experience moving into older buildings and doing needed renovations. The good news is that there is a lot of interest already, and the building owner is actively seeking a new tenant.”

“I've got my fingers crossed that this works out,” said Weaver. “I really want to keep a coffee shop in Downtown Tipp.”

The Gazette will report more on this story in upcoming weeks.