Charlottesville-based Grit Coffee opens first Richmond location at Libbie and Grove

Amid an incredibly difficult year for the restaurant industry, Grit Coffee, the Charlottesville-based coffee shop and brand, opened its first Richmond location in the Libbie-Grove corridor this past Thursday.

In what was previously a Sweet Frog at 409 Libbie Avenue, Grit Coffee opened with options for carry-out and online ordering of coffee drinks, ground, and whole bean coffee, as well as pastries from Pearl’s Bake Shoppe. Owners say they hope to provide an approachable, relaxing environment to enjoy a good cup of coffee – especially after the nearby Starbucks on the corridor closed its doors.

Founded in 2008, Grit currently has five locations in Charlottesville, a thriving wholesale network through the state, and a coffee subscription service that has taken off since March.

Drawing on a love of coffee as well as cooking, Grit takes a culinary approach to roasting. As would a chef, Grit’s Director of Coffee, Travis Mason, views the quality and freshness of the ingredients as paramount. But equally important – and often overlooked in coffee – is the roasting, akin to how a chef might cook his ingredients to coax out the inherent and unique characteristics of each coffee.