JOPLIN, Mo. — People living, working, or driving through one part of an area city now have a lot more choices when it comes to food and beverages.
One of the area’s most heavily traveled intersections is experiencing a boom in food and beverage businesses. Trackside Burgers and Barbecue and Cup o’ Joe Coffee Company are two of the relatively new businesses to open their doors near the intersection of 7th and Maiden Lane in Joplin. And customers aren’t the only ones glad they did.
“We ended up coming over here from Webb City area. We couldn’t get a long-term lease over there after we purchased the business and so we started looking around, figuring out what would be a good place to land. We caught some leads on this location right here off of 10th and Maiden Lane, it was by the railroad tracks,” said Mickel Clark, Exec., Chef & Owner, Trackside Burgers & BBQ.
“When ever it came time to retire from the military, we had looked at Springfield as well as Joplin and the more and more thinking about this building was open and available, the concept of it, where even this model is pandemic proof of just driving through, taking your order, and then sending them out where it’s also covered from weather,” said Dustin Drilling, Owner, Founder, Cup O’ Joe Coffee Company.
The new KFC restaurant is now open along 7th Street, while Bacon Me Krazy which started out as a food truck, will, according to a spokesperson, opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant later this month. And the finishing touches are being added at what will be a Starbucks.
So why have so many food and beverages businesses located here in Western Joplin? They say it’s got a lot to do with the old business adage, location, location
location.
“And the price, I couldn’t beat it anywhere else, you know West Joplin was kind of devoid of a coffee shop and we saw a need, were able to secure a loan and decided this was the spot for us,” said Drilling.
“Really, really cool and exciting to see the resurge and I think the west side of Joplin is gonna really take off here within the next few years,” added Clark.