Jennifer Cruz and Chris Campbell were laid off from their jobs as chefs at a food co-op in the Berkshires when the pandemic hit. They took this as an opportunity to open their own establishment, and quickly set to work finding a space. They settled on a spot in the heart of uptown Kingston, formerly home to the well-loved Duo Bistro, another pandemic casualty.
They chose the name Grainne, after a 16th-century Irish pirate queen, a symbol of the two women working in the male-dominated restaurant industry. After opening in November 2020, Grainne became an uptown favorite—especially for brunch, with its central location, classy but laid back atmosphere, and rustic aesthetic. Cruz put her CIA training as a pastry chef to good use at Grainne, cranking out scones, muffins, and beignets, along with plenty of elevated comfort foods.
While Grainne opened in part because of COVID-19, the omicron variant has unfortunately been its death knell. This brutal winter put a strain on the business, with customers feeling less safe eating inside, and the weather too cold for outdoor seating.
When the books started looking dire, Cruz launched a GoFundMe campaign on February 16. According to the page, “At this time, she doesn’t have the resources to keep the doors open. Jennifer and her daughter need our community to help them get through this rough spot to the other side (spring) Jennifer needs to pay her rent and employees to get through this and she needs us to do it!” But in the days since the fundraiser went live, Cruz has had to reevaluate, ultimately making the decision to permanently close Grainne.
Still, she owes her staff some pay and is diverting the fundraiser for this cause. “The [original] intention of the fundraiser was to help me stay open,” Cruz says. “Whereas now it’s doing damage control.” Currently, Cruz has raised $1,355. You can help her reach her goal of $15,000 here.