Peter Schorsch
A Tallahassee-based Veteran-owned business, GroundOps Roastery + Bakehouse, hasn’t even opened its brick-and-mortar doors yet, and is already making mouths water and sugar levels rise with sweet and savory cinnamon rolls coming from their “underground ops test kitchen.”
GroundOps has already built a cult following on social media selling exclusively and taking orders through Facebook and Instagram. Their popularity on social media has enabled them to begin construction on a brick-and-mortar location in midtown Tallahassee, less than a mile away from the Florida Capitol, where Chris Smith will serve as the chief baker and his son, Conner Smith, will be the head coffee roaster.
GroundOps founder Chris Smith is a retiring Sheriff’s detective who also served in the U.S. Navy from 1986-90 on the U.S.S. Independence.
After serving in the Navy, he worked in the private sector and then for the Attorney General’s Office under Bill McCollum from 2008-10. He currently works as a Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy, however, he has always kept his love of food close. As a fan of baked goods, he started creating his own culinary creations, experimenting first with cinnamon rolls — his personal favorite. Now, he is turning that passion into a full-fledged business.
Chris has always abided by his personal mantra: “If it’s not done well, it’s not worth doing.” That’s why he only uses the freshest ingredients, never cuts corners, makes all his sauces, and cooks the savory roll fillings like meatballs and pulled pork himself.
The target opening date of the brick-and-mortar is December 2022 or early 2023. Until then, you can support this Veteran-owned business by visiting GroundOps on Facebook or Instagram, which showcases some of the new flavors Chris has come up with, including a pizza roll and another roll that features slow-roasted pork with pineapple and cheddar.
