Loss of Husband and Father Inspires Three Women to Build Cafe

With their husband and father Michael ill, Raffaela Iacono, her sister Carla and mom Maryann mobilized forces and made a vision become a reality by opening The Grind Cafe.

"Dad was our inspiration," said Raffaela Iacono. "He had owned a T-shirt factory that he took from ten employees to almost two hundred. He was exciting, he had ideas. He had been sick on and off since I was in the eight grade. He passed in June 2010, so he never saw the full effect."

She added, "We did everthing ourselves, we sanded and painted the windows, we made the tables, we got the cash wraps from a clothing store and the espresso bar from an old cafe."

Carla Iacono had worked in Manhattan for years and brought her love of urban chic to the design of the cafe. Mom Maryann had owned a catering company "Orient Express" and was well known in Wading River for her food.

The three women worked hard and were able to make their dreams a reality their dream a reality.

"I don't think any of us realized how much physical and mental work this would take; my daughters worked really hard," said Maryann. "When one of us wanted to pull out, give up, the other two would say no."

The Grind Cafe is off the beaten path and across from the pond on North Country Road in Wading River. The place has an urban cafe meets small town feel. The walls are painted a warm eggplant and steel grey, the tables are black and polished silver and the windows evoke those of a city loft.

"I come for a cup of coffee, I'm here for breakfast, and sometimes I come for lunch," said Brian Piesner, a regular customer. "I like the setting, in town, across from the pond, as opposed to 25A."

Originally the premises was a post office, but before The Grind Cafe it was a bait and tackle store and before that a Harley shop.

The Grind is truly a labor of love, and everything but the bagels are baked on the premises.

Elsa Munroe and Kenneth Zabielski of Wading River enjoy being able to walk down to the cafe.

"We stroll down to the place every day, we usually get the specials, but we've tried everything at least once," Zabielski said.

The Grind Cafe stands as a testament to a family who, in the face of loss and grief, came together to make something happen.

As Raffaela, who has her father's signiture tattooed on her wrist, said, "Dad was my best friend. He was the inspiration and motivation, and my sister Carla is the backbone."

Throw in a mother's love and The Grind Cafe is what every family business aspires to be.