Mother Road Coffee
We love
coffee,
Carthage,
and Route 66.
This is the marketing statement that Kara and Ed Hardesty chose for their business Mother Road Coffee.
And it’s 100% spot-on.
COFFEE
The Hardestys moved to Carthage two years ago from the Seattle area – you know, the city also known as the birthplace of Starbucks. Everyone I’ve ever met from there knows coffee – including the Hardestys.
However, the Hardestys don’t serve Seattle-based Starbucks coffee; they support a fellow Missouri business by serving Mississippi Mud Coffee, made by a small-batch producer in St. Louis.
And it’s delicious.
I ordered the Mother Road Mocha, the coffee shop’s signature drink, which is like a Mexican latte (my current obsession). I ordered mine iced, and enjoyed the robust espresso and cinnamon flavors while I relaxed in the cozy lounge area at the front of the shop.
If I’d had more time to linger, I would’ve plucked a novel from one of the lending-library shelves, burrowed into the comfy sofa, and escaped for the entire afternoon.
In addition to coffee, Mother Road offers tea, Italian sodas, and smoothies. Click here to see the menu.
When ordering a drink, plan on adding a baked good to your order, too. Kara’s mother is the incredible baker behind all items marked “homemade.”
Seriously, how could you pass up one of these colossal, fudgy brownies?
Or these soft, buttery cinnamon rolls?
I couldn’t.
That’s why I ordered one of each, plus a lemon bar.
Before you judge, I want you to know that I brought them home to share with my family of five.
Too bad they weren’t home…
If you’re looking for something more substantial, Mother Road Coffee serves a daily lunch special. I tried the veggie soup, which was loaded with hearty white beans, healthy kale, and other fresh, colorful vegetables.
I finished all of my veggies so I could enjoy some dessert. Life’s about balance, right?
CARTHAGE
Mother Road Coffee is located across the square from the picturesque Jasper County Courthouse in downtown Carthage. According to Ed, the building itself was the first brick skyscraper in southwest Missouri (true, it’s only three stories – but they had to start somewhere).
Look at this mosaic tile by the building’s front entrance. Can you guess what type of business this was originally?
It was a drug store!
If you can tell me why drug stores typically had these fancy tile entrances, please leave a comment below. I’d love to know.
Inside the coffee shop, there’s also wall of photos showing the building’s interior back when it functioned as a drugstore.
And when you look at the menu hanging above the counter, you’re actually looking at the original swinging doors from the rear of the building that the Hardestys have so cleverly repurposed.
ROUTE 66
Not only do the Hardestys cater to coffee-lovers and locals, but they also see a steady stream of Route 66 travelers in the shop each week. These travelers come from all over the world, and the Hardestys invite them to sign a guest book and mark their hometowns with a pins on a map that’s hanging in the front of the shop.
You can’t really tell from this photo, but the majority of the pins are located in Europe, with Asia as the second most pinned region.
But this was my favorite pin…
Yes, that’s Antarctica!
Mother Road Coffee welcomes people from all over the world.
After a cup of coffee served with a friendly smile, visitors leave Mother Road Coffee with a sweet taste of small town America.
Mother Road Coffee is located at 325 South Main Street in Carthage. Click here to see Mother Road’s Facebook page.
To learn about other restaurants in the region, click here.
WANT MORE?
Get the latest information on what to see and do in the area by following Joplin MO Life on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and on Facebook. Or, sign up for the newsletter at the top part of this post.
This article was commissioned by the Joplin CVB, however the opinions expressed are purely my own. The purpose of Joplin MO Life is to highlight all the best that our area has to offer, and when an article is written about a restaurant, business, attraction, or event, it is because I have had an enjoyable experience and want to share it with others.
Click here to visit the Joplin CVB’s Facebook page.
Living Life to The Fullest!
I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.
