Grandma Connie posted up at 86th and Broadway, ready to listen.
Conceived by Upper West Sider Mike Matthews, the Grandma Stand is a mobile station where passersby can stop to chat with a grandmother for free advice and a sympathetic ear.
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The seed was planted in 2012, when a coworker came to Matthews in need of support. Instead of offering up his own advice, he suggested that she call his grandmother, Eileen, for comfort. They spoke over the weekend, and on Monday morning, his coworker came bouncing into the office, explaining that her conversation with Eileen had lifted her spirits—it was just what she needed. Matthews thought, “My grandma has so much love, and her presence is too big for our family; she needs something more.” And, the idea for the Grandma Stand was born.
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In 2013, Matthews–who you may also remember for his viral marriage proposal, for giving gift bags to MTA workers during the pandemic, or for his annual Halloween door decorating contest–purchased a lemonade stand and created a booth where New Yorkers could FaceTime with Grandma Eileen. Every Saturday morning, he would select a different location, primarily on the Upper West Side, to set up shop.
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Each week, he would come up with a different question or prompt to get the conversation rolling. Some questions are lighter, such as, ‘What brings you joy right now?’ while others are heavier and deeper, like ‘What is weighing on your mind right now?’ or ‘What is a discussion you need to have with your parents?’ These questions are derived from what Matthews would love for New Yorkers to share, aiming to entice meaningful dialogue.
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As he expected, Matthews found that these conversations created touching moments for New Yorkers and provided them with a few minutes of escape from a hurting world. “Grandmas work for this model,” he explains, “because they just care about you and who you are. They have seen it all and they are raw and real.”
Sadly, in 2018, Eileen passed away at 102, and Matthews retired the Grandma Stand.
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However, a few months ago, as Matthews was walking down the city streets, he thought, “This world feels so chaotic, isolated, and lonely with everything going on,” and he decided it was time to resurrect the Grandma Stand. “It’s a small thing, but it makes people happy, and I need to do this again,” he reasoned. And, the Grandma Stand returned.
Grandma Connie in Central Park, eager to listen
Today’s Grandma Stand has the same magic as it always has, but it’s evolved a bit. Now, there’s a rotation of six grandmothers, three in person and three virtual, with the intent to eventually have a different grandma every week. Grandma Connie (a fan favorite) is a friend of Matthews,’ and other people have been suggesting their grandmothers as well. But, there is a criteria: they need to be listeners rather than talkers.
Adults and children sit at the Grandma Stand at 97th and Broadway as a remote grandma offers virtual advice from another location.
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These days, in an Instagram world, he uses his followers to weigh in on the question of the week by choosing a “winner” from 5 potential prompts. Additionally, he announces his location in advance, publicizing where the Grandma Stand will be.
As Matthews says, a bonus is that the Grandma Stand “motivates people to reach out to their own grandparents or elderly mentors they have in their lives, and reminds us of the value of our senior citizens.”
In Matthews’ words, “We could all use a grandma to talk to.”
To learn more, follow @grandmastand on Instagram and TikTok.
ALSO: The Grandma Stand is looking for grandmas! If you would like to apply or suggest someone, please contact grandmastandnyc@gmail.com.
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