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Any local who’s been around for a time will remember the Daily Grind sandwich shop that was a staple of downtown Ponca City from 1999 to 2012. The Grind menu featured delicious coffees and expansive lunch options with a variety of sandwiches, paninis, soups and salads. Signature sauces and dressings topped off menu items making them that much more delicious. Over the years, many Grind staples became local favorites that kept customers coming back for seconds. Much to the community’s chagrin, owner Janna McDonald closed the business in 2012. As Janna’s brother & sister-in-law, Scotty and Melody Fisher often got asked if and when the Daily Grind was going to open its doors again.
Scotty Fisher has worked with his family since he was eight years old. As an adult, he continued working in the family business as an electrician. Melody is a nurse and worked in the field for 24 years before getting the itch to change paths.
In April of 2023, Scotty’s dad started talking about selling the building that had once been home to the Daily Grind. Scotty and Melody decided to purchase the building. Then it became time for the elbow grease, so to speak. The property had previously been rented out and needed some serious TLC to get it back to the condition Scotty and Melody envisioned. While getting the building back up to code, they also added an oven to the kitchen for Melody’s baking.
Scotty and Melody knew they wanted to make the business their own while still honoring what it was in its former iteration. The two knew the Grind menu was beloved enough to once again gain popularity with community members. However, they wanted to put their spin on things so they opened Sugar & Grind. They included two of their daughters in the plan and have even put them to work helping run the business. The family was able to open the doors in October of 2023 and has been enjoying the ride ever since.
Sugar & Grind boasts the same delectable recipes customers came to know and love from the Daily Grind. Scotty and Melody decided to spotlight Melody’s love of baking by adding the “Sugar” element and feature a surprise menu of baked goods that change each week.
Scotty and their daughter Hannah work the kitchen while Melody and their daughter Jayna work the front of house operations. Scotty also handles a lot of the back of house operations while Melody does the weekly baking, specialty ordered baked goods and event catering. Sugar & Grind serves breakfast from 8:00-10:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Scotty and Melody have partnered with Tate Burdick of Nova Coffee, who is on-site from 6:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., to provide customers with coffees, espressos, blended drinks, teas and more. Tate’s expertise was a good fit for the business since the Grind had previously served coffee, but it doesn’t happen to be something either Scotty or Melody wanted to pursue. Both the Nova Coffee menu and the Sugar & Grind menu feature the type of variety that will allow most customers the opportunity to find something they will enjoy.
Scotty and Melody are also having fun adding new and different things to the menu. One such item is Chicago-style hot dogs. The signature Chicago dog is known for its poppy seed bun that holds an all-beef dog covered in yellow mustard, sweet relish, onions, tomatoes, sport peppers and dill pickle spears. Scotty and Melody have replicated the original, complete with the same brand of hot dogs sold in Chicago. It’s sure to make you feel like you’re in the Windy City!
Sugar & Grind does event catering as well. Last fall they partnered with the Grand Cigar & Lounge to cater brunch for their Ladies Champagne Bingo event. Melody put together a spread of brunch items that would make any mouth water, including cruffins (a cross between a croissant & a muffin), pastries, scones, quiches, fruit spreads, fresh fruit, mousses and more. All the dessert and breakfast items came in multiple flavors and varieties. Melody does all the set up for catering events like this one, making things super easy on her clients. You can either suggest menu ideas or let her run with a theme. For this event, the GC&L gave her free reign and she knocked it out of the park.
Customers can also rent the back room at Sugar & Grind for special events. Melody can put together event menus featuring Sugar & Grind sandwiches, her sweets and any other items a customer wants. Over the Christmas holiday, she put together a sweet treat menu for a special event that got rave reviews.
Scotty and Melody have exciting plans in store for the future of Sugar & Grind. The community’s response to having their beloved sandwich shop back has been great so far, and the couple is looking to bring even more to the table, pun intended, when it comes to their offerings. On top of specialty catering, Melody and Scotty are looking forward to hosting tailored events like a Valentine’s Day date night with more upscale menu items like steak and lobster. The couple is planning to purchase a larger refrigerated pastry case and create a bigger space to showcase the amazing sweets and treats Melody makes each week. A bigger case will allow Melody to offer a bigger variety on a regular basis. Scotty also plans to have a food truck eventually to help the business participate in off-site events.
Scotty and Melody Fisher are excited to be downtown carrying on the essence of the Grind with their own special spin. They’re looking forward to participating in community events and aim for Sugar & Grind to become a staple in the rotation for local diners. Check out their Facebook page at Sugar & Grind for more info. You can see their menu at sugarandgrind.com, or better yet, stop in for breakfast or lunch today!
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