BY MELISSA PYLE
Special to the Telegraph
Call Street welcomed Starke’s newest coffee shop on Feb. 1 when the doors of Hometown Grounds officially opened. Customers were welcomed through the doors of the new establishment, which resides in the former location of Sapp Station Coffee.
Like many quaint coffee shops, the scents of fresh brewed lattes and baked pastries filled the air, but the real story was brewing behind the scenes, years ago and thousands of miles away.
New co-owners Amy Polk and Rachel Sweat are a part of a large, blended family. Rachel refers to Amy as her “bonus mom.” Polk married Sweat’s father, Jason Polk, 18 years ago. Jason, a Bradford native and son to Glenn and Marie Polk, married Amy, originally from Lake City, and the two began cultivating life and family together in Bradford. Amy planted her roots in Bradford and quickly became a hometown girl.
As the years moved on, the Polk family enjoyed serving on annual mission trips to Honduras for about 10 years. It was on one of these trips where Rachel, then just sixteen, fell in love with coffee and what it represents. It wasn’t just the taste of coffee that was the biggest draw, but the way in which it created community among the people they had come to serve. The Polk family saw that even with the language barrier, there was a clear path to communication when people came together to share coffee in a welcoming space. This sense of community planted the seeds for a future coffee shop into their hearts and minds.
As the years passed, life had many twists and turns for both Amy and Rachel. Rachel grew up, started a family and worked as a pharmacy technician at Madison Street Pharmacy. Amy and Jason began to have visions of travel and empty nesting as Jason’s 26 years of working with the canine unit of the Florida Department of Corrections was ending. But as Amy would tell you, God had other plans — a very exciting and unexpected second act in the form of a 5-year-old little boy.
They adopted Bret, who is now 10. He joined the large blended and extended family, becoming the youngest sibling of four and an instant uncle to Polk’s 10 grandchildren. Amy and Jason are thankful God changed the trajectory of their lives by sending Bret into the picture. Bret is one of many reasons they wanted to open the local shop.
Bret was born with a rare genetic disorder called Rubenstein-Taybi Syndrome. Amy said while his condition brings a lot of challenges, it also brings great blessings because one of the unique characteristics of people who have this syndrome is a personality encompassed by continuous joy. Bret is one of the smiling faces you will probably see when you visit the shop. As co-owner, Amy is there a lot, and the shop will also serve as a school room for Bret’s homeschool lessons.
Both Rachel and Amy see the shop as an investment in the futures of their own families as well as the community. They want the people of Bradford to see Hometown Grounds as a welcome, open door to people from all walks of life and backgrounds.
The shop has a small play area that includes a chalkboard, toy kitchen and children’s books so parents of small children can sit and enjoy adult conversation while their little ones play. Other possible offerings envisioned for the future at the shop are things like homeschool hours, craft days, afterschool tutoring and maybe even afterhours coffee parties for adults. The idea is to make the shop a landing place for meeting a friend or having a creative place to go, all while enjoying one of the various menu items ranging from coffee to fruit infused energy drinks. Some of which have the name “Tornado” as a tribute to the public school mascot. The shop has already invested in local vendors by offering honey from Starke’s own Townsend Honey Farm and serves up a unique blend of Florida coffee curated by Lucky Goat Coffee of Tallahassee.
Polk and Sweat have been working hard to bring their long-held dream of a coffee shop to life and they are thankful to their army of family members and friends. Many who have come alongside them and continue to make it happen daily. One such friend is Shana Sapp, owner of the much-loved Sapp Station. Polk said Sapp has been so encouraging throughout this process and she is very appreciative of her support. Polk knows how much the Starke community loved Shana and her Sapp Station Coffee, and she hopes they will feel just as at home when they stop by Hometown Grounds.
Polk and Sweat are working tirelessly to add their contribution to the growing community of Starke. As the new owners move forward in serving the people of Bradford, they would happily tell you their business goal comes from their personal motto which is “to use your life to pour into others.”
Hometown Grounds is open daily during the month of February from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. but times may adjust in the future, depending on demand. To get more information regarding hours, menu items, and upcoming events, visit the shop’s website at hometowngrounds.com or find them on Facebook or Instagram at Hometown Grounds Coffee Co.
