Community Spotlight:

Located on Mercer Street directly across from the Princeton Public Library, Local Mo’ Joe is a newly renovated and all organic coffee shop and cafe. The shop operates daily, save for Sunday, from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM and serves salads and various baked goods like scones, bagels, muffins, warm cinnamon rolls, and pound cake. Everything is made fresh in-house each morning. They also serve a wide variety of coffee and tea specialty drinks like classic cappuccinos and macchiatos, lattes, smoothies, hot and cold chai tea, classic and mocha frappes and several more; for an additional fee, one can add an extra shot of espresso, foamed milk, a foam dollop or steamed milk to any specialty drink. Guests can choose their favorite item from the large, artsy chalkboard menu on the wall. 

The hostess was friendly, energetic and happy to answer any questions. She explained that the shop had only been open for approximately two months and apologized because “the menu doesn’t have sandwich options yet, but we will definitely be adding them soon!”  

The ambiance of the shop was gentle, warm and inviting. The walls were painted with a light shade of blue, and pieces of artwork donated from the Riff Raff Art Collective were displayed generously throughout. Tiny handcrafted jars full of bright purple live flowers sat in the center of each table and the entire shop smelled of fresh bread and coffee beans. The atmosphere was mellow and quiet; this shop would be the perfect place to relax, read a book and sip on hot tea.  

The service was good, albeit a little slow, considering there was only one person behind the counter during the lunch hour rush. The food was brought to the table before the drinks, which arrived approximately three minutes afterward. While the smoothie ordered was refreshing and tasted delightfully of real, fresh fruits, the classic frappe was completely undrinkable. It was mainly espresso and crushed ice with no sugar, cream or flavor; overall, the taste was very bitter and unpleasant.  

While the baked goods were warm, fresh and crisp, they could have been displayed a little more carefully. The bagel dogs, which are basically pigs in a blanket, were spilling out from underneath a cake dome and looked somewhat unkempt and inviting for potential insects and pests. Also, some of the other baked goods were simply piled into baskets and left to harden.  

As for the prices, take a thick wallet when visiting this laidback joint. For example, one classic frappe was priced a little over four dollars for a large size and for the smaller sizes, prices ranged from 2.75 and up depending upon the drink. The cheapest thing available was priced at fifty cents; the veggie vitamins which featured a heaping amount of kale. Regular coffee was a little more affordable, ranging from 1.50 for eight ounces and 2.00 for twelve ounces.  

Although the atmosphere of the Local Mo’ Joe was easygoing and whimsical, the prices were a tad high, the coffee was a tad too strong for the average drinker, and there was only one person running the entire store. However, the storefront is brand new and the employees are just beginning to get the hang of running a business. After a little more experience and opportunity to establish themselves, and after some more food items have been added to the menu, this shop may hit its stride and become a bustling hotspot for Princeton citizens.  

For more information on The Local Mo’ Joe, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/localmojoe or call 304-709-6656.