CAMDENTON, Mo. — The newly opened Higher Grounds Coffee House is serving up a warm cup at the site of the former Funky Buffalo. Higher Grounds Coffee House is rebooting the popular cozy cafe and meeting place. They have kept the prior business' large buffalo head hanging over the fireplace mantel, and filled in the antique counter space with a vintage cash register towering over five varieties of delectable muffins, cookies, and scones, such as Mixed Berry or Peaches and Cream.

The coffee is strong, smooth, with a splash of characteristic boldness. Owner Melva Shields explains she searched for a roaster that could provide a brew for those worried about high acidity, and she didn’t have to look far for that blend.  Shields purchases the coffee from Columbia, Missouri-based Camacho Coffee.  “I have had problems with that, and wanted to offer something easier on the stomach,” she shared. Flavor is not sacrificed for acid, as the particular roasting style that Camacho Coffee uses keeps the bean’s boldness. “I also like what they stand for,” Shields says of the coffee producer. Camacho gives a percentage of their sales to those in need, and partners with their shops to extend a culture of charitable giving.

Higher Grounds Coffee House is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menu combine healthy choices with comfort food, with soups, salads, paninis, biscuits, and burritos. Drip brews, espressos, lattes, macchiatos, and chai teas are on the drink menu, as well as decaffeinated options like boba tea and hot chocolate.

Shields reports that some special evening events are in the works, with at least one night per week featuring her musically talented husband, Mitch Shields. Mitch has been a well known entertainer in the Lake Area for many years, providing local dining establishments with the easy sound of his voice and guitar.

Melva Shields retired from the Stoutland R-II School district after working in the offices for 20 years. She explained, “I was not ready to retire, I guess, I found myself looking for something to do. I really like people, that’s why I loved working in the school office. We were talking at church about a coffee house fellowship, and the idea came to me to open a coffeehouse, a place where people could get together and have a good time, food, and fellowship. So we had secured a location in Richland, and called the former owners Ron and Nicole (Duggan) of Funky Buffalo to ask about some merchandise for a coffee shop. Nicole said, ‘Why don’t you just buy ours?’” The Funky Buffalo location was already set up for use, with little transition needed to become the Higher Grounds Coffee House. 

The new cafe opened in that exact location last Monday, and the decision to establish themselves in Camdenton is already proving successful with the drive-thru staying busy, as well as indoor seating full of happy customers.

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