Popular Coffee Shop holds fundraiser to survive against closure
Downtown Mesa’s beloved Jarrod’s Coffee Tea & Gallery, a local hub for art, music, and all things creative, is in dire straits. The owner, Jarrod Martinez, has poured his heart and soul into the venue since 2012, hosting all sorts of events from art exhibits to concerts to poetry slams.
But a rotten streak of bad luck has landed Jarrod’s in a rough spot, with a greedy employee making off with a whopping $20,000 of the business’s hard-earned cash. Reading the Jarrod’s Coffee GoFundMe, it says: ‘In the past 6 months or so not only has our rent spiked dramatically, the cost of our ingredients have drastically increased, and an ex-employee embezzled around $20,000 from our account, leaving us in the horrible position that we are in now.’ So far, it has raised $11,000 with a goal of $50,000.
To save the day, the community is rallying around Jarrod’s with a fundraising campaign and a blowout bash this Saturday. There’ll be comedians, bands, live art, vendors, food, and drink. So come on down and show some love for one of Mesa’s coolest spots. All donations on Saturday will be matched up to $5,000.
It is not known whether this coffee shop will stay around for much longer. However, after more than a decade serving Mesa residents coffee and a place to chill out, this place could be missed if it goes under.
