You have about a month to grab a glass of wine or a cup of some of the most amazing coffee before a high-profile business in Trenton closes its doors for the final time.
Yesterday, Owner Taylor Russett posted on Facebook that the Grind and Vine will close its doors for the final time on August 31st.
It won’t be the last we see of Taylor of course, as he has taken over Lafferty’s in downtown Belleville and also is very active in local organizations like the United Way, where he recently served as Campaign Chair.
His goodbye message on Facebook (which is well worth seeing yourself) is a masterclass in gratitude, context and community connection.
In it, he mentions challenges which include taking over the business around the same time that COVID caused major disruptions and hardships for local business. In the same sentence, he distilled something that would have derailed many people’s plans down to two words – hate crimes.
As a proud member of the LGBTQ community, Taylor and his business have been the target of more than a few hateful acts including repeated acts of vandalism and in one case attempted arson.
While acknowledging it in his video, Taylor mentions it in the same sentence as COVID and staff shortages. These were shocking acts of ignorance and hate which he expertly reduced to another in a series of challenges which he both survived and conquered.
Over the next month, we should all take time to go in and share a glass or cup of joy with Taylor and thank him not only for what he has done but for the person he is and all he does for the community. He has already done more in 26 years than many will do in a lifetime.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
