Ron Armstrong, the man who turned a faith-based coffee concept into a familiar Jacksonville brand, has sold Grounds of GRACE and stepped away from daily nonprofit leadership so he can run for mayor. The move passes a homegrown coffee-and-community operation to new ownership just as Armstrong throws himself into a citywide campaign.
Sale Named and Buyer Identified
The Business Journals reports that Armstrong finalized the sale of Grounds of GRACE this week, transferring ownership of the for-profit coffee operations to Chadrick McGriff. According to the outlet, Armstrong made the move so he could devote his full time to the Jacksonville mayoral race.
From Coffee Bus to Storefronts
Grounds of GRACE did not start as a traditional café chain. It launched out of a converted school bus serving espresso, then grew into multiple storefronts, a coffee counter inside the JTA LaVilla transportation hub and an events operation tied to job training. Action News Jax covered the early mobile coffee bus model, while Grounds of GRACE details its locations and community programs.
Buyer Named and Ownership Questions
The Business Journals identifies McGriff as the new owner now responsible for the coffee side of the operation. In recent years, Grounds of GRACE had been in expansion mode; Jax Daily Record highlighted a 2022 plan for a coffee shop and bakery in Arlington, a sign the brand was looking beyond its original footprint.
Armstrong's Mayoral Push
The campaign is already in ballot-access mode, collecting petition signatures in an effort to secure a spot on the 2027 ballot. In a notice on the Ron Armstrong campaign site, supporters were asked to drop off signed petitions at Grounds of GRACE locations. Armstrong’s team says selling the business gives him the bandwidth to focus fully on citywide public service instead of daily operations.
Why the Move Matters Locally
Supporters and local reporters have noted that Grounds of GRACE blended paid work, life-skills training and neighborhood outreach, particularly on the Northside, turning it into more than just a coffee stop. Action News Jax documented how the program hired teens and supported adult education as part of an anti-violence and workforce effort.
The handoff marks the end of a chapter for a hybrid nonprofit-business that became a neighborhood fixture and shifts Armstrong fully into the political arena. Whether the coffee brand maintains its training and outreach efforts under McGriff’s ownership will be one of the first big tests of the sale. We will update this story as the campaign and the new ownership share more details.
