Urban Grounds serving up gourmet coffee in Eastern Market on Saturdays

Just in time for cold weather, Urban Grounds has opened at Eastern Market,
bringing gourmet coffee to the neighborhood from a charming kiosk.

Co-owner Richard Ban works for the Eastern Market Corporation and had considered starting a coffee operation for more than a year. He wanted it to be mobile, and thus flexible, and finally came across a historic kiosk trailer in the Mt. Pleasant area. After much refurbishment, he and business partner and fiancee Danielle Charrette opened Urban Grounds for business on Sept. 28.

Urban Grounds serves Great Lakes Roasting Co. products, including Motor City Blend coffee, Mackinac Island Blend decaffeinated and Zen espresso blend. Calder Dairy milk is used as are Michigan Green Safe products.

So far, response has been universally positive. “If we were being paid in compliments, we’d be very wealthy,” says Ban.

Urban Grounds will be open in Shed 2 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Christmas, at which time Ban hopes to move into heated Shed 5.

Source: Richard Ban, Urban Grounds
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh