WACO, Texas — Common Grounds, a coffee shop that has been a staple of the Waco community for decades, is up for sale — and customers say they hope whoever buys it preserves what makes it special.
The shop first opened in 1994 and has grown from its original location on Eighth Street to four locations across McLennan County. Current owners Blake and Kimberley Batson, both Baylor alumni, bought the business in 2012.
An online application for potential buyers lists a price range of $2 million to $3 million. The application also asks potential buyers about their connection to Common Grounds, Baylor University and the Waco community, as well as their overall vision for the business.
For Baylor student Ellie Vaugh, Common Grounds is part of her weekly routine.
"I love Common Grounds. I'm a number one fan of Common Grounds. I get coffee every Sunday morning before church, so I'm just hoping that nothing too drastic happens. I hope they don't get rid of the Noble because that's the way to go," Vaugh said.
Vaugh said the shop's outdoor space and community events are part of what she hopes a new owner will keep intact.
"I feel like we have so many events in the backyard space, so I hope that kind of stays. It's really fun to come here during Line Camp or in the school year when there's random open mic nights. It's super fun. So I hope the culture kind of stays," Vaugh said.
Baylor alumnus Paul Lanigan said he used to visit Common Grounds about three times a week and still makes his way back after graduation.
"When I was here, it was probably three times a week for anything from, like, discipleship to hanging out with people to just by myself needing to get work done, whatever. It's like a big cultural piece of Waco, and so it kind of feels like there's an emotional thing in it being sold," Lanigan said.
Lanigan said he hopes the next owner embraces the shop's deep ties to Baylor and the broader Waco community.
"I would love that they, if they would embrace Baylor and its culture and, you know, the waves and winds, what's happening at Baylor, how the sports teams are doing, the cultural moment at Baylor if they would integrate themselves as part of that," Lanigan said.
The current owners have not yet responded to a request for comment.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
