During his many years working as a bartender Evan Parsons went to bed at 4 a.m., and now as owner of the hot new breakfast/lunch gathering spot in a Connecticut town, Parsons gets up at 4 a.m.
“It’s definitely nice to see a different side of the day – everyone’s a lot friendlier,” he said.
Parsons, 37, has opened the cozy coffee, breakfast and lunch spot, Daily Grind, at 17 Depot Place in the heart of downtown Unionville.
Life in general is brighter and friendlier for Parsons since he quit bartending, drinking and doing drugs through therapy, AA, and an intense outpatient program.
His sober date is June 22, 2022 and he’s “never looked back.”
“I was given a choice to drink or die. I decided to make the change and went straight for it,” Parsons said. “I went rock bottom during Covid.”
With a clear mind, years in the hospitality business, and a penchant for bringing smiles to others, Parsons opened Daily Grind.
He took a barista course in Brooklyn, N.Y. — it can be a lot like shaking a cocktail — he said, and has a coffee-knowledgeable staff.
Their own label coffee is roasted by Rebel Dog Coffee Co. in Plainville. The cafe carries various strength roasts, flavors and all that fancy beverages like lattes, cappuccino, and espresso with their own signature twists.
The baked goods – pastry, doughnuts and rolls, come fresh every day from Harvest Bakery in Bristol, the bagels from Kettle Bagels in Southington.
“I like to keep everything local,” Parsons said. “Supporting small businesses is important.”
Regular customer Jeff Brand said he loves the breakfast wrap, the sandwiches and the fact the menu is simple and food fresh, made to order.
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A variety of coffee roasts that are offered at the Daily Grind, a new coffee shop in Unionville on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
“They have a quality product, but when you walk in it’s a great environment,” Brand said. “They put the personal touch on it.” He said going from serving alcohol to coffee is a perfect “transition” as one gets older.
The lunch menu is a mouth-watering, comfy-food selection, including a personal favorite, the “Hammie” — a sandwich his mom used to pack for him for school field trips, Parsons said.
“She’s a good cook. That’s where I get it from,” Parsons said.
The Hammie is Virginia ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and onion with horseradish aioli.
Other lunch items include a turkey avocado BLT of avocado, turkey, provolone, bacon , lettuce, tomato and aioli.
A popular breakfast item is the sausage breakfast wrap of American cheese, scrambled eggs, onion, green pepper, hash browns, and sausage with a chipotle aioli.
They’ve only been open since the first week in November and already reviewers on line are raving about the food, drink and staff.
“The food is great, the prices are better and they have a wonderful staff,” one reviewer wrote.
Another wrote, “Very cute and quaint coffee shop with a warm and welcoming vibe.”
One woman wrote, “Finally a real coffee shop for the Ville!”
Parsons has been married for three years to Betsy Parsons whom he met at Olive Bar while she was a waitress, he a bartender. She does the Daily Grind marketing and pitches in at the business when needed.
Evan Parsons worked at his family’s legendary Parsons Hardware for years and combined with his bartending is well-known in Unionville.
The new place is small, about 600- square-feet with counter seating and a couple of small tables, but is already becoming a meeting spot for locals, Parsons said. Customers come in, run into old friends and make new ones, he said.
“A lot of local love,” Parsons said. “I think it’s been a great start. We’re getting every age group.”
While it’s a happy place, there are whispers of sobriety and mental health awareness in the cafe, as Parsons is transparent about his struggle when it comes up.
His “hope,” Parsons said, is to help others who may be battling addiction or depression.
By the register is a basket of stickers with mental health awareness messages and affirmations, such as “Believe in yourself,” and “Mental Health Matters.”
Parsons, who keeps it to one cup of coffee himself per day, has named the dark roast coffee “Rebos” or sober spelled backwards.
He said the road to overcoming addiction is to believe in yourself, put the work in, which for him once meant going to four AA meetings per week.
Life now, he said, is “100 times better,” as addiction puts a “blanket over your emotions.”
Parsons said he’s gotten his “feelings back,” and spends more time with friends and family.
“I have more energy, I’m more in the moment,” he said.
Daily Grind is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.
860.777.1027
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