Grow + Gather
“To help make a connection with food is the core of why I did this. That’s what I love.”
Describing a generative place like Grow + Gather isn’t easy, even for founder, George Gastis. “I always had this idea of an urban farm, part restaurant, part coffee shop, part gathering space that brings people together.” George shares where the seeds of the concept came from, “Food was the natural hook. My dad was a big gardener, and my mom was an amazing cook. They both grew up in farming families in Greece.” The goals of Grow + Gather are found in the name—a place to grow food and a place for people to gather. George gives his best summary of this inspiring combination of concepts, “The simple version is, Grow + Gather is an urban farm and food-centric marketplace.”
Before becoming Grow + Gather, the building was Bill’s Automotive, a beloved service station in Englewood operated for generations by the Engel family. George enthusiastically shared stories how the service station was known for caring for their neighbors and neighborhood. When George purchased the property, he intentionally and carefully preserved their story. He honored the location by keeping the 1950s architecture and having a hand-painted replica of Bill’s Automotive sign on the building. There are small nods to the automotive past throughout the space. The design holds both reverence for what was and a compelling vision for what can be. Bill Engel was at opening day for Grow + Gather and his children and grandchildren now frequently visit to see a place serving the neighborhood in renewed ways.
Grow + Gather does not just grow food. It grows people’s imagination. The patio, hydroponic, and rooftop gardens show people where their food came from. “How many people know what a zucchini plant looks like or what rhubarb is?” George shares energetically. “To help make a connection with food is the core of why I did this. That's what I love. That's really the heart and soul of what we do here.”
George shares about how this unique space has served people in sacred and selfless ways. Grow + Gather is located across the street from Craig Hospital which specializes in care for severe spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. Grow + Gather is the first place many patients visit when they have progressed in their recovery to the point of going into public using a wheelchair. The staff of Grow + Gather has an annual training from Craig on how to serve and support patients on their journey of recovery. George tearfully shared the story of a young woman who visited Grow + Gather weekly while receiving treatment at Craig for a terminal cancer condition. She asked that her memorial and celebration of life be hosted at Grow + Gather. George smiles, “She said this place made her feel normal.” This is holy ground.
The true success of Grow + Gather is not found in the business’s balance sheet. Grow + Gather does not exist for the sake of financial gain. It chooses instead to root itself in the transformation of people, buildings, and the neighborhood. Grow + Gather cares deeply for the health of both the individual and the community. It is a gift for a city to have someone own and operate a business with George’s vision and passion. Grow + Gather daily holds the tension between the values of practical operations and a place of meaning and beauty. It is the passion project of one person committed to craft a place for food and people to grow and gather. Grow + Gather is a sacred place.
Thank you to George Gastis for his authenticity and vulnerability in sharing his story and his contribution to this article.
