Driving past Grounds for Thought, you would not be able to tell that inside a new expansion has occurred.
In recent weeks the local coffee shop and bookstore has added to its facilities. The shop now has two-times more space for books, added seating for 60 people, a reserveable meeting room, study tables, and renovated bathrooms.
The space for the expansion became available be when the Wood County Law Library moved to the Court House in August. Prior to the move all that divided the library from Grounds for Thought were temorporary walls.
Owner Kelly Wicks is pleased with the new addition and hopes it will better serve the needs of customers.
“At times, we’d just run out of room for people,” Wicks said. “This allows for everybody to have their own space.”
Because the store has such a varied customer base Wicks believes the new renovations will be conducive to everyone.
“People who want to study can sit in the back and people who want to be more social can sit towards the front.” Wicks said. Besides the additonal seating the bookstore has added 50,000 used books to its shelves.
“Before we had 50,000 books and this doubles our stock.” Wicks said.
The new volumes were reciently purchased from Paupers Books.
“He has such an enormous number of books we just took a small piece.” Wicks said.
Some of the new books are not on the shelves yet because employees are currently in the process of getting them back in shape.
Georgianna Martin, a graduate student who studys regularly at the shop enjoys the changes.
“With the new renovations there is so much more room.” Martin said. “It makes it much easier to find a table.”
Martin enjoys the shop because of its environment and feels that the addition to the shop will not change her opinion.
“There are more people now, but it is still a small town coffee shop,” she said.
In the near future Wicks plans on moving the Grounds for Thought Roasting Company from its current location on Wooster Street to the expanded coffee shop.
“I think business has been strong. We try to keep this place fresh and interesting.” Wicks said.
