Canada: Jitter Bean Cafe

[Steve MacDowall]

Jitter Bean Cafe
1690 Mountain Rd., Unit 103
Moncton, New Brunswick,

Canada E1G 1A5

[phone]

Owner is Edna Donovan

Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wi-Fi: Free
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Jitter Bean Cafe shakes up the city
Published Thursday June 16th, 2011 -- http://herenb.canadaeast.com

Photo: Edna Donovan, owner of Jitter Bean Cafe serves a coffee to Maxime Hebert.

 

After working in Ontario as a high school business teacher, the Moncton native came home while on maternity leave. Like many teachers in the province, Donovan couldn't find work in an NB school. Instead, she took the lessons she taught in the classroom and put them into action.

"I've always had the idea of opening my own business since a very young age," she says. "When I couldn't find a teaching job, I thought, Okay, this is my time to open a business."

Donovan believed the Hub City lacked cosy cafés outside the downtown core; she wanted to rectify the situation by opening a café on Mountain Road.

"I live in this area of Moncton, and there was really nowhere to go to sit and relax and enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend," she says. "We needed something like that at this end of the city, where you can get good food and great coffee."

Since opening the doors of Jitter Bean Café in March, Donovan has been overwhelmed by the response.

She says the relaxing, modern and friendly atmosphere sets Jitter Bean apart from the competition; her focus on local products and fair trade coffee is another distinctive feature.

"Our roaster is from (Just Us Coffee in) Nova Scotia," she says. "We get our bread from Dieppe. Whenever possible we try to get local products.

"All our coffees and teas are organic and fair trade. It's important to have a social conscience and know that we're giving back to a community that is in need. It helps support farmers and education, and the whole system."

Donovan also offers smoothies, hot chocolate and cold drinks, for those who don't want a jittery caffeine buzz. Plus there are lots of nibbles, like grilled panini sandwiches, soup, spinach dip, hummus, deserts and breakfast sandwiches.

Starting in May, and continuing through the summer, the café is open late Thursday and Friday. Donovan plans to bring in live music to further enhance the Jitter Bean experience.

She says doing a 180 career-wise has been adjustment, but she has no regrets.

"It's definitely different than being in a classroom," Donovan laughs. "Teaching was rewarding, and this is rewarding too, just in a different way."

[Evelyn MacDowall]

Steve:  The Jitter Bean Cafe sure looks like your type of place, which I could join you for a cuppa coffee there.

Evelyn

[Steve MacDowall]

Well I think you should fly down for a long weekend - but you have some great coffee shops in Toronto also - I do miss having coffee with you. - Steve