042024_RV_E01_c_Business

SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024 THE N'WEST IOWA REVIEW/SHELDON, IA E2
BUSINESS
Dykstra keeps grounded by opening coffee shop
Faith-based barista
got idea in high school
BY RENEE WIELENGA
RWIELENGA@NWESTIOWA.COM
SIOUX CENTER—Business has
been booming since one Sioux Center
resident flipped the “Open” sign
on her new business at the end of
January.
Twenty-one-year-old Gracie Dykstra
is excited about the community’s
response to New Grounds Coffee Co.
located at 85 W. First St., which formerly
housed Butlers Cafe & Coffee.
“It’s been exciting,” Dykstra said.
“Having people in the doors, making
connections — I was looking forward
to that and am excited about how it’s
going.”
Hours are 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday
and Thursday; 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday; 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Saturday.
On the drink menu are espressobased
items such as lattes, cappuccinos,
mochas, Americanos and
macchiatos as well as brewed coffee,
smoothies and lotus energy drinks.
On the baked goods menu are muffins,
cinnamon rolls, cookies and
energy balls made with oatmeal and
peanut butter.
The lunch menu available 11 a.m.-
2 p.m. during business days includes
four sandwich options.
Dykstra’s love for coffee deepened
in high school as she discovered
all the varieties of espresso-based
drinks while attending Western
AT A GLANCE:
Business: New Grounds
Coffee Co.
Owner: Gracie Dykstra
Address: 85 W. First St., Sioux
Center
Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday
and Thursday; 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday; 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Phone: 712-722-4055
E-mail: newgroundscco@
gmail.com
Online: Facebook and
Instagram
Christian High School in Hull. The
idea of opening her own coffee shop
came up while enrolled in two-year
administrative assistant program at
Dordt University in Sioux Center.
“After the first year in the program
I started thinking about owning my
own business because I couldn’t see
myself sitting in an office all day,”
Dykstra said. “I wanted the business
to have a faith-based atmosphere.
The idea of a coffee shop kept coming
back up in my mind.”
Then, just a couple months before
she graduated from Western Christian
in May 2022, Habitué Coffeehouse
& Bakery owner Cheryl Wells
of Le Mars, came to speak to one of
Dykstra’s classes.
“She spoke about her coffeehouse
Gracie Dykstra opened New Grounds Coffee Co. in the former Butlers Cafe &
Coffee shop location in Sioux Center. Business hours are Monday-Saturday.
New Grounds Coffee Co. owner Gracie Dykstra of Sioux Center tops a coffee drink with some whipped cream. Dykstra
opened her coffee shop in January at 85 W. First St. in downtown Sioux Center. Photos by Renee Wielenga
but also this ministry they have as
well and it all just resonated with this
idea I had,” Dykstra said. “I went up
to talk with her after class, and she
basically offered me a job on the spot,
so that’s where I went to work after I
graduated.”
For a year and half, Dykstra gained
firsthand barista and ministry
experience sharing her work hours
between the coffeehouse and The
Living Center, which is a ministry
center next door to the coffeehouse
and houses a nonprofit called Side by
Side Ministries.
“Having that background knowledge
by working in the coffee industry
— seeing what works and what
doesn’t, getting to know the products,
the flow of the business and just
being poured into and trained up in
that was huge,” Dykstra said. “I could
have lived out my dream of starting a
coffee shop without that, but it would
have been much harder. Looking
back on it all, everything that’s led
up to this point has truly been God’s
plan for me in how the education and
training all came together.”
Dykstra did not realize just how
soon God had in mind for her to
open her own business.
“While working at Habitué learning
and growing, I was trusting God
to provide a place for me that would
be the right time and place,” she said.
“When I heard about Butlers closing
in August, I reached out to the
owners of the building and started
praying about if it was the right space
and time. Personally, I didn’t think I
would open a business at my age. I
was unsure, so my family and I, we
came and saw the building and I
pressed into prayer to know if it was
really something I should do and I
felt a peace about doing it.”
She officially said yes to the building
and her dream in October.
“I was trusting that what I didn’t
know yet or understand the Lord will
help me with and provide people
to help me and He’s definitely done
that,” Dykstra said.
Friends and family supported Dykstra
in helping paint and revamp the
business’ interior to give it a lighter,
more open vibe. She also worked
through the hiring process to have
one assistant manager and eight
part-time staff.
Leaning into her faith also led Dykstra
to the name of her business.
“While I was still at Dordt, I
received an encouraging prayer and
in that note, there was a sentence
that talked about breaking ‘new
grounds,’” Dykstra said. “I felt that
would be a great fit for a coffee shop
someday by combining my interest
in coffee and faith.”
That idea solidified into an official
name after reading through The Message
version of John 11:15b, which
says, “you’re about to be given new
grounds for believing” — a verse now
printed on the walls inside the cafe.
“I hope that this is a place people
can connect not only with good coffee
but with friends, community,
even connect with Christ,” Dykstra
said.
She hopes to use the space for
more praise and worship nights as
she did on Good Friday evening as
well as well continue to build community
support — one of the main
reasons she is excited to be located in
Sioux Center.
“In my heart, this is where I wanted
to be because this community is so
knit together, so supportive of small
businesses,” Dykstra said. “I’m excited
to meet more people through this
business and provide a space to help
others build community as well.”