Have you ever found yourself sitting with your loved ones and neighbors while making candles and sipping on a latte flavor you never thought existed? If you have, then you were probably at Grounded.
Although Women’s History Month may be coming to an end, there is always time to celebrate strong female figures in the world, especially those near us. I recently discovered Grounded Coffee Bar, a female-owned business in Frankfort, Illinois that was founded in 2019 by Saint Xavier Alumna Sheila Raines. The business was sold around September of 2021 and later bought by Rachael Giantomasso, a woman passionate about her community who shares her world of coffee each and every day.
Business at Grounded has been flourishing with people from cities outside of Frankfort recognizing their amazing experiences at the coffee shop. So, what has helped Grounded reach this point and what does it mean to manage a business as a woman? I was able to speak with Giantomasso about her experience running the shop and her journey getting to this point.
Giantomasso grew up in the Frankfort area and continues to reside there now. She is big on community and wants Grounded to be a place where locals, as well as other customers, feel welcomed and can have a good time. As far as prior experience goes, she has taken a lot of what she has learned through life as well as her past work in the service industry to guide her.
“It takes a lot of focus. You never stop learning,” Giantomasso says on the day-to-day process. She is constantly researching new information on coffee as well as brainstorming new recipes every single month to serve her customers and keep them returning.
Since becoming the owner of Grounded, Giantomasso has been advocated for not only having these new menu items available but also doing events that people of all ages can attend.
“It’s all about consistency. If not many people come to one event, we will still do them every month,” she says.
Grounded has offered the community a variety of events, ranging from monthly flight trials for the following month’s surprise flavors to partnering with other local businesses to bring people together.
“One time, we partnered with a local candle business – also female-owned! – and had an event for people to come in and make candles in Grounded mugs,” Giantomasso explains.
I then asked Giantomasso how Grounded’s social media presence has impacted the growth of the shop.
The business pays someone to run their social media accounts and post multiple times a week. “It is a great investment for any small business owner,” Giantomasso added.
Having a branded account also allows for customers to tag the shop on social media when posting about their time there. Pictures nowadays can cause other people to check a place out themselves. This word of mouth, or maybe word of screen, helps small businesses tremendously.
The conversation then shifted to being a woman in the world of business: what does this experience mean to Giantomasso and has she faced any struggles because she is female?
“I love getting to talk to people and learning about their lives,” she starts. She finds it important doing the small things like remembering customer names. Rather than sitting behind the scenes and monitoring the place, she is out in the front talking to as many people as possible. This is yet another thing that keeps people coming back for more; people never forget how you make them feel.
Giantomasso also stresses the importance of hard work and knowledge. When people walk through the doors of Grounded, they can expect to be met with staff who know what they are doing.
As far as struggles go, she does not feel like being a woman has set her back at all. Rather, she views it as an advantage in the way she is able to connect with the people walking into her store
“No one has ever made me feel like I could not do it,” Giantomasso adds. “I am very lucky to have a supportive husband and family.”
To close, I asked for words of wisdom to tell students, and specifically women, pursuing their dreams.
“Again, never stop learning. Even after you get that degree,” Giantomasso states. “Also, breaks do exist. You do not have to be working all the time. Remember to take care of yourself, too!”
Before I left, Giantomasso let me try the Leprechaun Latte, a March special. It was absolutely incredible and I am counting down the days until my next visit. I would not only recommend you all to make the drive to Frankfort to visit Giantomasso and her kind, welcoming staff, but to remember her as an inspiration that we can all follow the dreams we have. We just have to keep learning and bettering ourselves.
Grounded Coffee Bar can be found at 19 Ash Street in Frankfort. For their hours, menu, and upcoming events, click here.
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