Johnson County coffee shop closes drive-thru location of 9 years. Here’s why
A beloved Gardner coffee shop has closed its drive-thru location of nine years.
Owners Keith and Allison Davenport made the decision to shut down Groundhouse Coffee & Bakery’s second location at 18855 S. Gardner Road after sales consistently declined over the last 18 months. It served its last latte Thursday, before the holiday weekend.
Keith said business at the drive-thru dropped as several national chains began opening locations in the Johnson County city.
“We’re just in the midst of growing pains where we become more of a target for national chains, and so it just changes the economy a little bit,” Keith said.
The couple was forced to decide between closing the drive-thru and cutting staff in half — and the Davenports did not want to fracture their relationship with the community by laying off workers.
The city — which was named the metro’s fastest growing city in 2024 by the census — recently gained a QuikTrip across the street from the drive-thru spot. A Whataburger is planned next to it on the northeastern corner of 188th Street and Gardner Road. Like Groundhouse, it also offers breakfast options.
Meanwhile, sales at the original location, 103 S. Elm St., continue to grow.
The location in downtown Gardner is here to stay, Keith said. It’s a popular hangout for many locals, and Keith is looking forward to building more connections with the community.
“We’re really grateful for all of our customers and the relationships we have there,” Keith said. “It’s fun to go around town, and I’ll see somebody at like an orchestra concert at the high school or in the grocery store, and I don’t always know their name, but I often know their coffee drink.”
The Davenports purchased Groundhouse from Beth and Steve Hines last year. The Hineses founded Groundhouse in 2011.
The small town coffeehouse’s motto is painted on an interior wall: “Where coffee breath is worth it.”