Holy Grounds Coffee Shop, located underneath Saint James Church, is an eclectic coffee shop located one block from Downtown Liberty Square. They opened over the summer, and word of the new coffee shop quickly spread to local homeowners, and now, to students, staff and faculty at William Jewell College. The church exterior is currently under renovation, and some of the proceeds from the coffee shop go towards the renovation of the church’s steeple.
The walk from Jewell to Holy Grounds is around 10 minutes. Google Maps will tell you 13, but if you have long legs and/or embrace your inner New Yorker, it will take you 10. It is a nice walk through the historic neighborhoods of Liberty. Since the space is not a traditional coffee shop, it is quite an adventure. The front door to the coffee shop is on the south entrance of the church and down the stairs to the church’s basement.
The space is full of old books from the church’s library. alls that are not covered in books showcase the church organist’s original paintings. The dark oak of the table and bar creates a lovely, warm feel that contrasts with clean white spaces. They are always playing Gregorian chants or Anglican choir music, so, depending on your relationship with religion, you may find it peaceful and centering. However, if you are not used to being in church settings, you may find it a little strange. If you are not interested in the music, there is plenty of seating on their patio with shade and a peaceful ambience.
The coffee shop’s menu is pretty standard, though a lot of their products are sourced from local small businesses. They roast their own coffee and they brew tea from Anna Marie’s Teas on the Liberty Square. I love their matcha because it is more on the gritty side. Their ratio of matcha to milk is the best in Liberty; many other local coffee shops dilute their matcha to the point where it is basically just green milk. Their espresso-based drinks are fine compared to the local standards of Liberty, but their espresso is just not quite up-to-par in my opinion. If you consider yourself a coffee snob like me, I would recommend getting a tea, a matcha or a drink with one of their many syrups. They make most of their syrups in-house, including my two favorites: vanilla lavender and cinnamon almond coconut.
There are many food options including pastries, and an extensive menu of more savory foods. Plus, they always have fudge samples from a local fudge maker up in Kearney.
Overall, it is a lovely walk from campus and a quiet place to study or hang out with friends. If you try it out, I recommend trying the fudge and getting a drink with one of their homemade syrups.