This post was sponsored by Capital Joe but all ideas are my own
If there’s one thing Harrisburg residents love more than drinking their coffee, it’s supporting the businesses that sell it.
We’re a city full of passionate coffee enthusiasts who crave darn good coffee derived from sustainable, fair-trade markets. And we love using coffee as a medium to gather strangers, friends, and acquaintances together for conversation and deeper connections.
The Importance of Coffee and Community in Harrisburg
Whether I’m meeting with a photographer to discuss an upcoming shoot for Cherishburg or introducing myself to a new co-worker for the first time, coffee is always my go-to. I’m certain you have similar stories from the times you’ve wanted to get to know someone a little better and asked to grab coffee – because coffee is easy, non-committal & a common love language for most people.
Coffee shops are important to communities in general, but in Harrisburg I’ve witnessed the doors they create for new friendships and community connectedness. They often feel like our city’s backbone, holding us together while allowing our community to bend and develop in unexpected ways.
It doesn’t matter if you walk into a shop alone with the purpose of spending time in solitude, because for a few short moments or hours you still felt the warmth of company. And more often than not, a solo trip to a coffee shop ends with an encounter between another solo traveler. These connections are priceless and continue to build the foundations for a strong, successful, and well-connected community.
How Capital Joe Inspires Community Connectedness Through Coffee
Capital Joe, a locally-based coffee shop, contributes to Harrisburg’s coffee community beyond just selling good coffee. Check out the following ten ways Capital Joe supports Harrisburg and the surrounding area’s community through their love for coffee.
- Two Locations: Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg
You might agree that Harrisburg residents are suckers for local business growth, which makes Capital Joe’s multi-site business a caffeine rush in its own. But their footprint in both Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg show their goal for community reach in two places dear to them.
You can find Capital Joe located off of Forester St. near the capital building in Harrisburg or snuggly situated off Main St. in downtown Mechanicsburg. Whether you’re craving coffee during the work week in Harrisburg or visiting the west shore on the weekend, they have your coffee fix covered.
2. Open for Early Mornings or Late Nights
It’s always coffee o’ clock in Central PA meaning we’re thankful for coffee shops up and running when we need them. There’s something to be said about bonding with your neighbor over a caffeine fix at the same time every day.
From early morning coffee runs to late night projects, Capital Joe’s two locations have you covered. The downtown Harrisburg location operates Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Mechanicsburg location operates Monday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
3. More Than Just Coffee: Baked Goods, Tea & Kombucha
Coffee might curve the caffeine fix, but sometimes we need a few fresh bites of food to keep us functioning too. Plus, as much as we boast about our coffee addiction, some members of our community prefer alternatives.
Capital Joe offers freshly made in-house bakery items that pair perfectly with their drink selections. From healthy snacks to muffins and cookies, you can satisfy your sweet tooth or early morning craving. Additionally, they offer tea and kombucha for those already two cups of coffee deep for the day or not as into coffee as the rest of us.
4. Offers a Seasonally Rotating Menu
If our moods are apt to change with the weather, then shouldn’t our coffee do so as well? We’re lucky to have coffee shops that continually aim to inspire our coffee cravings.
Unique to Capital Joe, you can find a seasonally rotating menu at both locations, hand-crafted by a Capital Joe barista. The drink options vary and only last for a select time making frequent visits worth it to drink up while you can.
5. A Promise for Fair trade
It’s no secret our community thrives off fair-trade and sustainably-sourced goods, coffee, you name it. We often look to our local businesses to set a standard for the items we purchase.
Capital Joe partners with a Lancaster-based coffee shop, Square One Coffee, to bring well above fair-trade coffee to its customers. By investing in and supporting the mission of Square One Coffee, Capital Joe supports long-term community relationships locally and globally.
6. A Community-Driven Focus
We live in a community inspired to help our neighbors – whether through personal acts of goodness or supporting businesses with a mission to give back.
With an immense heart and passion for bringing our community closer together, Capital Joe orchestrates a ‘Community Give Back Program’ offering 10 percent of a month’s earnings to a designated organization. For the month of April, they’ve partnered with ‘One Tree Planted,’ a non-profit organization committed to planting trees across the globe. For every dollar donated, a tree is planted in hopes of reforesting the planet.
7. Walkable From Downtown or Midtown
Forget parallel parking, coffee within walking distance is what Harrisburg wants. A walkable coffee shop makes get-togethers that much easier.
Whether you live in Harrisburg or Mechanicsburg, both Capital Joe locations are easily accessible. You can walk to the Harrisburg shop in five minutes from the Capital building or seven minutes from the Broad Street Market.
8. Community Meeting Spaces Open for Reservation
Community and coffee are the new PB&J.
If you’re in need of a meeting or event space, Capital Joe offers room reservations for small and large groups. Whether you need a break from the office setting, or looking for a meet up space over the weekend, you can enjoy a personal space guaranteed to have good coffee and pastries.
9. Available for Sit Down or On the Go
Coffee is best enjoyed all the time. Sometimes connecting with your neighbor, co-worker, you name it, means sitting down over coffee, other times it means ordering two to-go cups and delivering someone an “I thought of you” gift.
Whether you’re on the go or looking for a place to hunker down and crank out some work, Capital Joe offers what you need. You can order a to-go cup at the counter or find a corner seat in one of their alcoves. You’re welcomed to stay as long as you’d like.
10. Soon to Launch: Re-usable Cup Program
It’s important for our local businesses to have a pulse on their community and respond appropriately.
With a business and community focus on sustainability and eco-friendly products, Capital Joe will launch a re-usable cup program in May which will offer discounts toward future coffee purchases.
Feeling Thankful for Coffee and Community
Countless coffee dates contributed to the community I am so thankful to have created here in Harrisburg. Many thanks goes out to our coffee shop owners who followed a vision to bring sustainable, fair-trade, darn good coffee and an environment rich in hospitality with where we could enjoy it.
Caffeinate on, Harrisburg.
Cherishburg 