Almost half of the spring semester has flown by while the need for caffeine and grub has only become increasingly necessary. Though Anderson Starbucks will always have a special place in the hearts of all Piper students and faculty across campus, it gets a little tiresome. But when one needs their caffeine fix, traveling super far out is not in the cards. So, here is a local place to try when those “starbies pink drinks” are just not hitting the spot anymore. 

Groundswell is a cafe, coffee-bar and in-house bakery nestled into the Hamline Midway community. So, what’s so cool about just another cafe? Groundswell’s whole mentality is to bring people together through their food, drinks and overall service.  When Groundswell opened its doors in 2009, as just an espresso machine manned by volunteers, it was a place where neighborhood friends could converse and have a safe space away from home. Now in 2021, they are a full service bakery, kitchen and cafe. 

Over the past year, we have seen a lot of division in our country. Life has changed greatly and experiences we thought were going to be one way, turned in a completely different direction. 

First-year, Samuel Hawton said, “This is not how I imagined my first year at university going.” It is hard to come together when we need to physically be apart. Hawton said, “It’s hard when there is something going on socially, politically and environmentally to even leave the house.” First-years, seniors and everyone in between are feeling the blows of isolation and a crazy climate. Along with all of the things going on under the lens of social justice, finding a community in this time of chaos is a must. So it is encouraged to find places like Groundswell in your local community and find ways of appropriate interaction that can get the brain engaged while keeping the body safe and healthy. 

Groundswell advertises their values of simplicity, culinary art, humility, fun, attention to detail and relationships because they have recognized that it is the time for values such as those. The end of the school year is coming faster than one would think.. Go get some fuel for the brain and for the soul. Groundswell has things for the herbivores, the carnivores, the coffee drinkers, the tea drinkers or even just some lemonade. Whatever you need, they got it. Get out, get local and stay well.