When we asked for your nominations for our coffee shop bracket, we noticed a new name among the recommendations: Morning Grind. What makes this newly opened coffee shop special? It’s run by Florida Southern College students on campus.
The cart isn’t just a part-time job for students. It’s a learning lab where they can get real world experience and support from the Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship and its director Justin Heacock.
Students are given 100% independence to run the business’s daily operations, advertise, and manage profits. They sourced local coffee beans + tea, and they make the flavored syrups themselves. You can follow along with their business updates to see how much they’re earning and what they’re learning.
We stopped by Morning Grind to grab a cup for ourselves. The menu is pretty simple (think: lattes, cold brew, and americanos) but the team is adding new offerings all the time — and even offers pup cups for dogs. We opted for a seasonal peppermint latte and would definitely be here every morning if we were FSC students.
Thankfully, you don’t have to be a Moc to get a pick-me-up. Morning Grind is open during the school year from Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. It’s located at the Becker Business Building, near the roundabout at the corner of Lake Hollingsworth Drive and Hollingsworth Road. You can even order online to have your order ready when you arrive.
Pro tip: There are a few parking lots near the cart, or you can stop by during a lakeside walk — it’s located halfway around the lake if you park next to the Lakeland Country Club.
