YOUNGSTOWN — Tucked away in the Glenwood Corridor on Youngstown's South Side, Glenwood Grounds Cafe is serving up coffee and community at a discount. 

"We're here to be a place of hope for the neighborhood, and to be able to help the neighborhood out. ... We are striving to keep the prices as low as we can," said Steve Sherhag, ministry assistant at Hope For Renewal.

The nonprofit Christian ministry opened the space on Glenwood Avenue in 2022. It's open every Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

In 2024, the national average price for a latte was $5.46, according to a study by point-of-sale system Toast. At Glenwood Grounds, the same kind of drink is currently available for just $2.50. Drip coffee, cold brew, chai and matcha are all also listed at below-average prices. 

The affordable menu is made possible by low overhead costs, according to Sherhag, who said the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation helped Hope For Renewal buy its building on Glenwood Avenue in 2022. On top of not paying rent for their space, the ministry also takes donations from the community, and saves money on labor through an army of volunteers. 

"Most of them are retired, but then on Saturdays, we have kids that have come in for college credit hours," Sherhag said. "We've even had high school seniors ... for National Honor Society, on Saturdays they'll volunteer." 

Still, the cafe is not immune to rising food costs from tariffs and inflation. Sherhag said a small increase in some prices could come in the next few months, "but other than that, we're really going to try to keep everything right where we have it."

Regulars at the shop said besides the prices, they keep coming back because of Glenwood Grounds' environment of hope and community support. During the recent government shutdown and disruption of SNAP benefits, Sherhag tells 21 News the cafe served free meals every day, and continues to do so on the last Thursday of every month. 

"It's also just showing what faith really looks like without having to say it," said Damonique Derricoatte, who has been coming to the cafe for the past year and recently began volunteering there. "For a long time, I didn't even know that the barista here was a pastor, but I could see it in his character ... He's here to serve others."

Anita Davis, president of Youngstown city council, was spotted at the shop Friday morning. Davis told 21 News she comes to Glenwood Grounds several times a week.

"It's just an uplift to this area," Davis said. "It's a real boost. It's so powerful. It's unbelievable the impact that it's had, and how the reputation of this area has so improved."