You may have noticed that I've labeled myself as an avid coffee drinker. My obsession with coffee began at 16 when I got my first job. I started out drinking it with more sugar and cream than actual coffee, but I eventually worked my way up to drinking it black. Over time, I went from having a cup in the morning to help me wake up to having as many as four or five cups throughout the day.
Until about two years ago, there was nowhere in Fairmont to get a good cup of coffee. If you needed a cup of joe, you were stuck settling for McDonald's or making the trek up to Bridgeport to the nearest Starbucks. When Joe N' Throw Co-Op opened, I was ecstatic to finally have a coffee shop to fuel my caffeine addiction. I started out going a couple times a week, but I quickly became a regular. It was at Joe N' Throw I tried black coffee for the first time, and I never used creamer or sugar again.
Joe N' Throw is so much more than just a place to get a good cup of coffee. There is a sense of community among the staff and the regulars that makes going the best part of my daily routine. It's a great place to study and work on homework. It's a place to relax with a good book. It's where I go to hang out with friends and play card games. Heck, I go there so much that I created a latte that is now a part of their menu.
Over time, I began forming friendships with the other regulars and each of the baristas. There is a sense of camaraderie between the people who sit at the front counter that is just understood. After months of coming in to shop on a near daily basis, I had a random heart-to-heart with one of the baristas, and we became fast friends. During my visits, we discussed our faith, friends, boys, food and our favorite show Gilmore Girls. Now, I would consider her one of my closest friends.
When you step into the coffee shop, it's like you're transported out of Fairmont and into a big city for just a little while. As a college student, I love having a place to get away. Whether I need some peace and quiet to get work done, or I just want to spend an hour or two with my friends (employees and non-employees), it is my go-to spot. It is because of this that Joe N' Throw Co-Op is so much more than a coffee shop to me. So next time you're in downtown Fairmont, stop by Joe N' Throw. And while you're at it, try the Hippie Honey Mocha. Chances are, I'll see you there!
