Wayne and Stacy Racy are the new owners of Common Ground Coffee Co., as of May 1. They took over ownership from Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.

“Wayne and I have always supported Common Ground, even since they opened on Main Street,” Stacy said. “When we travel, we make it a point to stop at coffee shops, enjoying a good cup of coffee in a relaxing setting. Wayne has served on the coffee shop board (at their church, Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene) for several years. Three years ago, we began volunteering at the coffee shop and started spending numerous hours inside Common Ground, which allowed us to meet new people and reconnect with old friends.”

 Stacy usually works in the kitchen, while Wayne serves coffee and chats with customers. About a year ago,  Timken LLC, Fort Scott, announced it would be closing.

“He had worked at Timken for several years, and when an opportunity arose that would take us out of Fort Scott, we both felt mixed emotions,” she said. “This was my hometown, and we had always imagined that we would retire here.”

Stacy’s parents, longtime farmers in Bourbon County, are now older, and she didn’t feel she could move away and leave them behind.

“We have built our family to love Fort Scott just as much as we do,” she said. “Our youngest daughter, Samantha Burenheide, started volunteering with us three years ago and later became the manager until a permanent replacement was found. Leaving Fort Scott wasn’t an option for us, especially with our parents, and children, Katie and Samantha, and grandchildren living here.”

“I felt early on that the Lord was calling us to become more involved with Common Ground Coffee, and by November, we realized it was time to take the next step and become the owners. Wayne spoke with Pastor Virgil Peck about our intention to buy the coffee shop. Pastor Virgil understood our passion for it, and soon after, our proposal was presented to the Coffee Shop Board and the Church Board, both of which approved it.”

The planning began, and Common Ground transitioned from a non-profit to a for-profit business.

“After hours of paperwork, on May 1st, we officially took ownership. We are excited to serve our community and eager to see what the Lord has in store for Common Grounds. We anticipate some challenges ahead, but we also believe we live in one of the best cities around.”

Stacy will continue running her business at Healing Hands Massage and Salon, and Wayne will remain at Timken until he completes his time there, after which he will join Common Ground Coffee full-time.

“Most Saturday mornings, you can find both of us at the shop, working alongside our team,” she said.

 Heidi Dixon will continue as manager, and Suzanne Griffin will continue to cater for Common Ground and keep the case full of her delicious desserts, along with Teri Hamilton and the baristas.

“We will continue to work with our baristas on learning new techniques and consistency on each coffee they make for our customers,” she said.

“Common Ground will still be a place that you can come and use the Wi-Fi to work or study, ” she said. ” We will also still offer free space for Bible studies and small groups to meet. I would eventually love to find someone to start a book club, etc. Just a place to reconnect with friends and build memories. People are welcome to come in and bring games to play with family and friends. Just a place to feel at home.  Besides amazing coffee, we offer smoothies, teas, lemonades, and dirty sodas for those who don’t like coffee.”