As students returned to Milledgeville this fall, many of them noticed the colorful new mural adorning the corner of West Montgomery Street. Morning Grind coffee shop, already a favorite among students, added a new, colorful mural to its walls that has made it all the more popular.
“The mural was honestly a God thing,” said Bridgette Smith, the owner of Morning Grind. “We collaborated with Visit Milledgeville, and they ended up giving a grant to our building, and the grant was able to cover the cost of the mural.”
Smith recruited GCSU students Mattie Thompson, a graduate of the studio fine arts program, and junior graphic design major Landry Weaver to paint the mural. Weaver now works as a barista at Morning Grind.
“I think it brightens the space up and showcases the artistic talents of Milledgeville.” said Julia Whalen, a junior marketing major “I also like that it’s a public art piece because downtown Milledgeville doesn’t have a lot of those compared to other cities.”
The mural features a colorful, abstract map of Milledgeville, designed to include landmarks such as Lake Sinclair, the Greenway, the Governor’s Mansion, GCSU, Georgia Military College and the railroad. Flowers are distributed throughout the map to represent the unique individuals who work and live in Milledgeville, reflecting the diversity the small town has to offer.
“I know that this is one of the busiest intersections in Milledgeville, so I wanted it to be eye-catching with bright colors,” Smith said “I love it because every morning I go in, and it just catches your eye. It’s something fun, it makes you smile and I also just love the details of the actual map, with GMC and Georgia College, you can see downtown, you can see the coffee shop where we’re at. I think it’s a really fun and unique mural and it brings a lot of life to Milledgeville.”
Morning Grind opened in October of 2022, with the goal of providing high-quality coffee to encourage students and community members to push through their busy days. Since its opening, the shop has quickly become a local favorite, with special drinks like their Sunshine Surge, Thunder Thirst and Milledgeville’s Mocha.
Last year, it was awarded the Union Recorder’s Reader’s Choice Award as the best coffee shop in Baldwin County. Next month, Morning Grind will celebrate two years of serving the Milledgeville community.
“We’ve definitely grown, and it’s been something that the community and our regulars in the community have stuck with and fallen in love with it just as much as we have,” Smith said. Morning Grind continues to serve students and locals in Milledgeville with coffee and now with a beautiful mural as well.
“I hope the community loves it just as much as we do and now, we’ll get even more customers through it, with it being an eye-catching spot,” Smith said. “I’m super thankful that this was able to happen.”
