grumps : the goa we love
It was such a delight to have met Agrini Satyarthi, one of the partner at Grumps, Sangolda which is one of our go-to spot for late-night hideaways.
1. The energy at Grumps is so lively and inspiring. How do you preserve it amidst the hustle?
It feels really good to know that the energy at Grumps translates into what we wanted it to be. A warm, cozy and welcoming place for the neighborhood and beyond. We wanted it to feel like it belongs where it is and one of the most important factors of sustaining that is our team. We feel that the energy of any place is driven by its people and as long as our team is happy working at Grumps and love what they do, our guests will automatically sense their energy of warmth & liveliness. There are days when they inspire us to push more and they really are the beating heart of Grumps. As for preserving our little oasis, we have consciously only believed in word-of-mouth marketing which helps us to target like-minded people who understand what we're trying to do.
2. Any recent travel experiences that left you creatively inspired?
Before we opened Grumps, we traveled extensively across Europe & Asia to really understand ourselves and figure out what kind of place we'd like to open. Eating across Spain and Portugal made us truly appreciate the Tapas culture while traveling through Thailand and Vietnam made us realise how much we just love Asian food and wouldn't it be amazing to marry the two. This year, we went to London and spent 3 weeks in a city that is brimming full of incredible restaurants and bars. But what was truly inspiring was that they weren't just restaurants and bars, with the power of strong design and brand language -- they were almost lifestyle brands that go beyond dining, it becomes a part of life, through food and drinks as medium. It was great to see how in a saturated market like London, you can thrive through visual identity.
“What's next is to continue to collaborate with like-minded brands who share the same ethos and spirit of hospitality as us and learn from them to try and be the best version of ourselves.”
-Agrini Satyarthi
3. What’s one design detail in Grumps that you think people often overlook but holds a special meaning for you?
Grumps is full of unique, grumpy little things that make it truly what it is. Over our travels, we gathered a bunch of little collectibles & knick-knacks (like a miniature dumpling stall made of ceramics) that are spread across the space and only if you really look for them, you'll find them. There's a small corner of the bar which is very dear to us, it's full of our travel memories visiting bars, restaurants & markets across Europe and Asia. It's also got a small frame as a clue on how our company namecametobe-sitbythebar,graba drink and maybe we'll tell you about it!
4. What’s next for Grumps? What are you most excited about in the near future?
Consistency. Collaborating to learn & improve. Team growth.
Being consistent with our product & service, continuously wanting to grow as a team and learn, and giving our team new opportunities are things we're excited about. Grumps is turning 1 in January and we're excited about a lot of team members who are completing one year with us and we have front row seats to see how far they've come within the organisation. We always wanted Grumps to be a casual and unpretentious neighbourhood bar where people come to drink and eat together, and we are really excited to see that vision come to life as we approach our first birthday. What's next is to continue to collaborate with like-minded brands who share the same ethos and spirit of hospitality as us and learn from them to try and be the best version of ourselves.
