Shenandoah Joe offers coffee, lots of seating

Barista Elle Wood said that the prices of the shop draw teens to want to hang out at Shenandoah Joe. “Our prices are cheaper than Starbucks or even some of the other coffee shops,” she said.

Wood said that she thinks this coffee shop is a great place for teens to hang out and has a very friendly atmosphere. “People can just come in here and hang out, there’s lots of seats. It doesn’t really matter if you’re loud, you can talk to your friends or just sit and listen to the music,” she said. 

Also, she thinks it is in a good spot downtown and that that can be a draw to teens wanting something to do. “It’s in a good location,” she said. 

Wood wants to find ways to bring more teens to the shop. “I always wish our space was bigger, also open later,” she said. 

She said the atmosphere of the shop is very welcoming to teens. She said that because most of the employees are not much older than high schoolers, she thinks that that makes teens more comfortable. 

Wood said that if she was a teen today she would go to one of the little shops or restaurants to hang out. “I think there’s a lot of cool restaurants,” she said. 

Shenandoah Joe is located at 64 S. Mason St. It is one of three coffee shops downtown. The others include Black Sheep located at 217 S. Liberty St. and Broadporch located in Agora Market at 165 S. Main St.