Sometimes, a restaurant’s survival comes down to the strength of its following, innovative staff, good timing with technology and the popularity of a specialty chicken sandwich.
That’s a simplified version of what has kept Litchfield Park’s popular Ground Control restaurant, beer, coffee and wine bar afloat since the COVID-19 pandemic turned Arizona businesses upside down in mid-March. But those things, coupled with owners Ian and Stephanie Harwell’s ability to adapt in the face of unprecedented challenges, have helped make up for losses.
The Harwells purchased Ground Control, 4860 N. Litchfield Road, from founders Sean and Tara Rassas in September 2019. In January, they switched point of sales providers to Toast, a cloud-based platform used by many in the restaurant industry.
