MACON — On the heels of last week’s opening of Ingleside Village Pizza at Mercer Village, the College Hill Corridor Commission and Mercer University today announced the commitment of a second college-friendly business to open in the redeveloped retail district adjacent to the Mercer University campus.
Jittery Joe’s Coffee, an Athens-based roaster and coffeehouse, will open its first Macon location in August. The locally owned establishment will be located next door to Ingleside Village Pizza at Mercer Village in an historic building that has been restored by the University.
“We are very pleased to be welcoming Jittery Joe’s to Mercer Village,” said Mercer President William D. Underwood. “This is the kind of business that will appeal to our students, faculty, staff, visitors and local residents, and will add to the liveliness of the neighborhoods surrounding the campus.”
“Our coffee is clearly the best coffee that’s out there,” said Bob Googe, franchisor for Jittery Joe’s. “We’ve never lost a blind taste test. We only roast the top one percent of beans in the world, and we roast them in Athens on Tuesday to have them in the store on Thursday. The product is never more than two weeks old in the store and is never pre-ground. The store will grind the beans 60 seconds before they put the coffee in the brewer. It’s about as fresh as you can get it.”
The College Hill Corridor Commission was co-created by the City of Macon and Mercer University to create a physical, cultural and social path to connect Mercer University and downtown. Part of that process has been working with Mercer to chart the future of Mercer Village, a historic neighborhood commercial center that is currently underutilized. The Commission has held two community design charrettes with leading college town planners to explore possibilities. The Commission has reached a community consensus that Mercer Village must be a beautiful place. The Commissioners also believe that the Village should consist of traditionally designed buildings with mixed uses such as student housing and retail. Finally, the Commission is prioritizing “college town cool,” locally owned, unique tenants that invite both students and neighborhood residents to eat, shop, relax and interact.
The College Hill Corridor Commission recently received a grant from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia to develop a master plan for Mercer Village. Inspiring ideas such as new infill buildings, roundabouts, student housing, coffee shops, bookstores, porches and even a market could be part of this plan, which is still under development.
“Jittery Joe’s has been part of the Athens ‘cool factor’ for years and we’re excited to welcome it to our community and the College Hill Corridor,” said Sarah Gerwig-Moore, co-chair of the College Hill Corridor Commission and assistant professor at Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law. “At each of the public meetings we’ve hosted, students, neighbors and faculty have said that a good coffee shop just steps off campus would be a positive addition to the neighborhood.”
About the College Hill Corridor Commission:
The College Hill Corridor Commission is a diverse commission co-created by the City of Macon and Mercer University to create a pedestrian and bike-friendly path between Mercer University and downtown. Along the way, the Commission intends to add economic value to the city’s tax base, beautify residential and commercial areas, attract and retain creative young professionals and program fun public events. For more information, visit www.collegehillcorridor.com.
About Mercer University:
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University has 7,300 students; 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies; major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah; three regional academic centers across the state; a university press; two teaching hospitals — Memorial Health University Medical Center and the Medical Center of Central Georgia; educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta; an engineering research center in Warner Robins; a performing arts center in Macon; and a NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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