By DANIEL GROGAN
This tribute to a local hero
and dear friend of the Higher
Grounds owners illustrates the
kind of café they set out to create:
a place that not only serves
the neighborhood, but also celebrates
it. The owners, Michael
and Karen Ferguson and their daughter
Caitlyn, lived in Astoria all their lives, so
there was never any doubt as to where
they wanted to open their small business.
Once they decided that they would put
Caitlyn Ferguson’s many years of training
as a barista to good use, they were off to
the races.
Michael Ferguson, who renovated the
entire shop along with a friend of his, was
eager to get fresh coffee into the hands of
Astorians as quickly as possible.
“I killed myself getting this place open,”
he said. “We got it done in 45 days. I
couldn’t believe it!”
And the haste with which the café was
completed is made all the more impressive
once you’ve experienced Higher
Grounds’ wonderful interior atmosphere.
Natural light pours in through the garage
door storefront (which is often left open
when the weather is kind) and illuminates
the café’s entryway, with its multi-toned,
wood-paneled walls and rustic tabletops.
As you move through the shop, past the
large marble countertop displaying baked
goods galore, the natural light subtly fades
away. The slight dimming accentuates the
coziness of the back area: a communal
bench wraps around the wall, throw pillows
28 SEPTEMBER 2 0 1 8
are nestled in each corner and a glass
chessboard sits atop a table, waiting to
be played. Though unfamiliar to me, the
space felt like home. There was an easy
comfort in that corner reminiscent of the
back porch of a farm house at dusk.
It was in this corner that I drank my coffee:
an iced La Colombe Pure Black. The
La Colombe, along with their Draft Latte,
comes straight from the tap, and the
product is about as smooth and fresh as
one could want from a cup of joe. Those
looking for a beverage that is a bit more
involved should rest easy knowing that the
complex concoctions come straight from
the mind of Caitlyn Ferguson, whose love
for all things coffee is very apparent.
“I’ve always loved making coffee. Even
when I worked for other people I always
felt like I was working on my machine, and
now it actually is my machine,” she said.
“It’s really nice to now be able to do it for
us. It’s actually ours.”
Along with the many drink options,
Higher Grounds boasts a large menu of
grab-and-go food items, including popular
offerings from Melt Bakery, and Single Girl
Cookies prepared by Astoria’s own Renee
Heitmann. In the coming weeks, the Higher
The first thing I noticed when
I walked into Higher Grounds
café was a photo and two
plaques on the right wall
of the entryway. The photo
showed Richard Sclafani – a
New York City firefighter and
Queens native who tragically
died in the line of duty on
Jan. 23, 2005. The picture
was one of Richard walking
handsomely in his FDNY
uniform and the plaques told
the story of his bravery.
FOOD + DRINK
COFFEE & COMMUNITY