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Small Town Big Flavor, Jitterbug Coffeehouse

Admin
Apr 22, 2017
5 min read

Have you ever walked into a place and felt right at home, comfy, cozy and welcomed like family? You walk in and everyone knows your name, greets you with a smile, and asks a super relevant question to your life, not just the generic stuff. I have, over and over again.

Yes, it is the reason I am a loyal customer, returning often, and not wanting to take my business elsewhere. Reserving the miscellaneous budget transactions for this special place. Oh, it is not just a friendly zoo, but also a place of efficiency and quality. Your order always exceeding your standards. Are you interested in this place? Would you like to know where such an amazing experience can be found?

The place I refer to is local, and it is small. It is not a franchise or chain restaurant, and can only be found in one spot on the map. I myself want to welcome you to the Jitterbug Coffeehouse in my lovely town of Heber Springs, Arkansas.

As we all know, I am not just a foodie, but also a coffee lover! I have been a Jitterbugger for quite some time now, and it recently occurred to me, how selfish I am in not sharing this wonderful experience and my top choices, or my

“Sartain Selects”.

So, in my quest to make it known, I was fortunate enough to snag the owner, and pick his brain and heart for his business. He openly shared with me the love he has for the coffeehouse, the employees, and the customers. My small outline of an interview turned into a fun story of how the Jitterbug has grown over the years, and where his passion comes from in running the business. Quite a few laughs later, I have a background to the story I discovered I desperately needed to write.

So here we are exploring the concept of " Small Town Big Flavor".

The owner, Scott Jones, purchased the coffeehouse about four years ago. He had always loved Heber Springs, a vacation spot for the family for many years and eventually his parents’ retirement destination. So, when the opportunity to purchase the Bug came available, he decided to go for it! After taking ownership, he did not want to change everything about the place, for it had already been a part of Heber Springs for quite some time and had some great aspects already brewing (see what I did there). Scott just knew he wanted his customers to have a place the where the whole family could find something to enjoy. A place to come and sit for a while. A place of friendly greetings and quality product.

Photocredit- Sydney Sligh

And as a self-proclaimed Jitterbugger, I must brag on what he has done.

See, as a dietitian, I know food. Way too much about it too. I know everything from running a foodservice business, to how food is broken down and used for fuel in our bodies. When people ask what I do, the witty side of me surfaces, “I am licensed to talk about food and everything surrounding it.” There are times I walk into a business and can tell the heart of the owner is not there, the passion is nowhere to be found, and the atmosphere is slipping away into the void. That my friends, is not what I see, hear, and feel in Jitterbug. Quite the contrary. As the years have passed, I see more and more of Heber Springs and other surrounding small local business or organizations being weaved into this place. Just a few examples I gleaned in my own coffee stops or lunch dates included using locally roasted coffee beans from RoZark Hills Coffee Roasterie (which is my absolute favorite coffee) to Yarnell’s ice cream from a neighboring town. And let’s not forget the evening events promoting local musicians, or the artwork on the walls by small town artists. Oh, and one day I happen to look at my coffee sleeve, which is rare for me to be observant, and it was promoting The CALL, a foster care program in Cleburne County. The more and more the owner fits other local and small into the Jitterbug, the more special the place feels to all who enter through its squeaky door.

At the Jitterbug, you are not just another dollar, you are a friend. Your loud, wild family is not inconveniencing anyone, in fact, let’s help get you settled with some puzzles or games stashed on the shelves for all to enjoy. Hard chairs make your back hurt, but need to study for upcoming exam? Feel worn from the work day? No worries, there is a couch and some comfy chairs just for you. You may have to fight me for the coveted couch….

Ok, ok, we get it. The atmosphere is fabulous, the staff is friendly, but what about the product?

Well, my friends, you may think it is only coffee, but it is so much more. The Jitterbug has quite a lunch gathering.

Let me tell you a well-kept secret, the smaller the menu, the better the food. It is true. Why? Because if the menu is limited, usually the food made is quality. Rather than doing a lot of items decent, it is better to do a few items exceptionally well. Fortunately, the owner knew this golden secret, and Jitterbug lunch menu was designed this way. Soups, sandwiches, paninis, and salads. The end. Perfect combinations, daily specials and everything made the way you like it! Gluten free? No worries, they got that too. I could go on and on about what they can do for you, but truly, truly, you must try for yourself.

Then of course there is the coffee, teas, smoothies and other drinks. Since it is a “coffeehouse” I think I will just throw out some words on the coffee. As previously mentioned, the coffee made with local, quality beans which put the coffee treats a notch above anywhere else. I am not going to lie, when I first moved here, I was so sad my chain coffee joint was nowhere in sight. I was completely bummed. What am I going to do without my special trip to the coffee shop?! Well, I begrudgingly walked into the Bug, ordered my first cuppa jo and… never looked back. The beans are THAT good. In addition to starting with that special coffee bean juice (ha!), you can mix and match from regular to sugar free syrups, and select from various types of milk. Whether nut milk is your thing or skim /regular full fat cow’s milk, they got it.

So, if you are on a healthy lifestyle plan, yet still want to take the family to the Bug, what can you get? Or in other words, what are the “Sartain Selects”?

Lunch Menu

Smoked Turkey Avocado Sandwich

Whole wheat bread, thick sliced turkey meat, and avocado spread.

Coupled with grapes instead of chips

no cheese, no mayo.

Crossfit Salad

Homemade chicken salad made with all white meat chicken breast, sitting on a spring mix, fresh avocados, cherry tomatoes, with oil & vinegar dressing.