Dawn-Marie Joseph had a simple philosophy when she opened her restaurant and coffee shop,
Gracie’s Place, in Williamston two years ago.
Let the customers dictate the future.
What they wanted out their most recent move: A massive expansion that would more than double the size of the restaurant, allow Joseph to be open for dinner every day and – perhaps most importantly – make room for an actual kitchen.
“Our current kitchen is so small that we don’t even have a stove,” Joseph says. “We have a Panini grill, two soup pots, four hot plates and an oven. That’s how our chefs have been cooking everything.”
Gracie’s Place is located in a renovated historic building at 151 S. Putnam. Joseph purchased the vacant 1,700-square-foot building attached to her current spot earlier this year.
When finished in August, Gracie’s Place will feature 2,700 square feet of restaurant and bar space and will be able to accommodate 80 people – up from 24.
They will also be able to finally make full use of their liquor license. Gracie’s currently serves wine and beer, but the expansion will allow space for an actual bar.
Joseph is currently interviewing for the roughly 20 more staff people she will have to hire to handle the larger space and dinner crowd.
Source: Dawn-Marie Joseph, Gracie’s Place
Writer: Louise Knott Ahern
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