As far as I can recall, there is not much to say about this coffee shop. The east-side of Athens is populated by cheap college apartments, and their respective denizens. This is not the most happenin’ part of the town by any means, but you can’t beat Jittery Joe’s coffee. This Jittery Joe’s is basically the sister shop to the one in 5-points, and is positioned in a tiny strip mall, sharing its walls with a Papa Johns, and various other businesses.

Inside, there is a paucity of seating, leading one to think that this is a take-out intended coffee shop. For all purposes it should be a drive-through. There is concrete patio furniture outside, so that college kids and creepy German men can sip their Frappucinos on a warm and sunny day.

Although I would never go out of my way to get a beverage here, I have a nostalgic memory that still provides me with some humor. Two of my friends have gotten fired from Jittery Joe’s, and I actually had the uncomfortable pleasure of seeing my friend Cara get fired after she indulged in a wild night of magic mushrooms. Apparently, that following morning she came into work at around 6 a.m., still tripping and making frequent visits to vomit in the bathroom. Unable to hide her obvious intoxication, she told her co-worker Rachel, who was therein referred to as a mega-bitch. Some background information is needed on the Cara/Rachel relationship. Cara described Rachel as an overweight eat-beast, who was jealous of her because she attracted the affections of some regular smarmy European men. According to Cara’s sensibilities, Rachel’s malicious jealousy was the motivation to rat her out to the boss-man Mark, Mike, or something.

Cara was going to cut my hair one day (think Frenchie. . .beauty school drop-out), and before doing so we went to get coffee. As we were leaving, boss-hog came up to her and asked if he could speak to her. They walked over to one of those concrete tables, and not knowing what to do with myself, I was left to just stand there. He must have looked in my direction, because Cara said, “Oh, anything you have to say to me, she can hear too.” Although I would have preferred to withstand the sweltering heat inside the car, I awkwardly sat down and heard a “Cara, you really need to shape up” speech. In an effort to defend herself, she explained that Rachel was just jealous of her, and that she had alcohol poisoning after having a couple of shots of tequila around 7 p.m. the previous evening. She was officially fired two days later.

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Jittery Joe’s Eastside

1860 Barnett Shoals Road
Athens, Georgia 30605