The folks at Ground Control Coffee were recently interviewed by the Luke Air Force Base News. Thank you to Tara for letting me know about it. I have included an excerpt below. And so it began. Now, more than 20 months, thousands of dollars and hours and many satisfied customers later, Ground Control is making a mark on the local coffee and wine bar scene. Part of the success of the business is Major Rassas’ insistence on using only the best and freshest products – be it coffee beans, gelato ingredients or baked goods. According to Major Rassas, Ground Control is one of only four establishments in the Phoenix area that roasts their coffee in-store. “By doing it ourselves, not only does it keep the cost-margin down, but we have complete control over the roast of the coffee, be it light, medium or dark,” he said. “We get it exactly how the customer wants it.” Ground Control also serves gelato that is made in-house, fresh baked goods from Wicked Bakery, made-to-order salads and Paninis, and has the largest by-the-glass wine selection west of Interstate 17. “Our wine prices are highly competitive,” Major Rassas said. “As a father of four (Sydney, 8; Cole, 4; Connor, 2; and Quinn, 5 months) I know how painful it is to go out to a restaurant, how expensive it is to buy the kids ice cream or to get something at Starbucks. We feel that if we can give someone a fantastic product for a great value, that would speak volumes about us, and it certainly has.” Ground Control offers military, fire and police discounts and the Rassases believe in giving back to the community. “Among other things, we donate wine-tastings and ice-cream socials to community organizations,” Major Rassas said. “These fundraisers provide money for the community, while generating business for ground control.” Ground Control 14140 W. Indian School Suite B1 Goodyear, AZ 85395 Phone: (623) 935-2604
