There’s a new cafe and community space opening this weekend in the former Growing Power Market & Cafe at 2737 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. The Rise & Grind Cafe & Market will be the second location for Rise & Grind Cafe, which opened at 6007 N. Teutonia Ave. last year.
The eatery and market, owned by Larina Hightower and Baboonie Tatum, will offer breakfast and lunch along with a full coffee menu and both fruit-based and green smoothies.
Tatum says the menu will be very similar to the Teutonia cafe with breakfast items like eggs, grits and toast. Meanwhile lunch will focus on corned beef and deli sandwiches, along with a variety of sides like macaroni and cheese. There will also be vegetarian options including soups, lettuce wraps and vegetable sandwiches.
"We really want to create a community space … a place like ‘Cheers’ where everyone knows your name," says Tatum. "People can stop by to have coffee or read a book. And we will have a menu filled with healthy options for people to enjoy."
The market aspect of the cafe is in progress. However, Tatum says that, moving forward, the front of the store will also feature a small marketplace, where they will sell a variety of items including books and natural health products like essential oils.
"Our goal is for this to be a true community space where people can gather," says Tatum. "We’re anticipating renting the space to local organizations for meetings and events. We also want to promote entrepreneurship, so we’ll be hosting presentations and booths from local business owners."
"We’re really excited to bring this concept to the area," says Tatum. "I’ve always to open a business on MLK Drive. The Bronzeville neighborhood is seeing a resurgence and we’ve gotten so much support from the BID and people in the area. It’s really an awesome space and we’re excited to be able to provide a healthy breakfast option, something that’s not widely available in the neighborhood."
Tatum says they’ve been able to move relatively quickly on the cafe, since it had been remodeled recently to accommodate Growing Power’s venue. The cafe has already moved through the inspection process and they are hoping to host a grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting. You can watch the Rise & Grind Facebook page for updates.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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