A Cup of Mojo’s

By: Reese Watson

The crisp scent of coffee is the first thing you smell as you step foot into the building. To your left, you see a wooden map of the world, pinned on the wall it sits, almost as if it guards the entire room. In front of you, towers of Beaded bracelets, decorative dinner plates, and printed t-shirts flood your eyes like a cascading table of never-ending gifts. Nestled in the corner, the coffee station itself stands compact: metal machines on counters, stacked cups on shelves, and cookies in display cabinets. A chalkboard filled with coffee descriptions and flavors is displayed next to it, each one was drawn on with colorful pens. As you walk, you can feel the home-y creek of the wooden floorboards while you embark on your warm cup of coffee.

For almost the last two years, Mojo’s Mercantile & Coffee House, a family-owned and operated business stationed right here in Jenks, has strived for one thing… to give back. The business prides itself on not just helping people in the Jenks community, but helping people all over the world.

Mojo's wooden map of the world, with tiny cross pins indicating missions helped.

The shop’s motto is to, “be a connection point to the world” according to the creator and owner of Mojos, Michele Etter. Etter knew she wanted to give back, but at first, she struggled to figure out how. The idea of some kind of shop was the first thing that came to mind, but she knew just a shop wouldn’t sustain her dream if they were giving so much of it away. 

“I got the inspiration to do this specifically when my daughter went to college in Waco, it was a cute college town that had a ton of little coffee shops,” said Etter. “So that's when the idea of being both a mercantile and a coffee house came together.”

Mojo’s coffee station.

After the idea was set in stone, Etter dedicated everything to getting the business off the ground, but it didn’t come without its struggles. 

“We built and remodeled through the Spring and Summer of 2020, then we opened in November of 2020,” said Etter.

COVID became an extremely hard time for small businesses, and opening a business during that time should’ve been an even bigger challenge. Not only did Mojo’s not have to shut down, the Pandemic actually acted as a boost to their business. 

“So many coffee shops in the area were shut down, and so many coffee shops--because they were different from us-- wouldn’t let people sit inside,” said Etter, “so the timing was completely impeccable.”

Once the shop was complete, it was made up of two different parts: the mercantile and the coffee. Each one is connected to each other, and center around having a good chunk of their profits going toward donations. The mercantile itself is filled with different kinds of things like small gifts, or miscellaneous trinkets, and each thing sold carries its own story. This could mean the things being sold are from missionaries, local churches, and businesses, even from Etter herself.

Although the coffee portion of the store was only added to compensate for the mercantile, it’s now--arguably--the shop’s most dominant feature, with classic and complex flavors ranging from hot or iced, with a complex variety and homemade syrups.

“The coffee shop is really my daughters’ expertise,” said Etter. “My daughter also comes up with all the flavors too, she's all self-taught. And really, the secret around here is that I own a coffee shop, and I don’t like coffee.”

Mojo's wall of original, specialty coffee flavors.

Mojo’s also has a very prominent bakery section to pair with their coffee station, with Etter--through Mojo’s-- continuing to take every opportunity to support people in her community.

“I really have taken every opportunity to support people who are trying to get businesses off the ground.” said Etter, “The baker is actually a young woman who goes to my church and who's worked in bakeries before. She’s aspiring to one day get a bakery of her own, but has young children right now which makes it difficult.”

Mojo's bakery station, filled with fun baked goods.

Mojo’s essentially serves on giving away more than receiving; in reality, it’s a hub of donations in order to help international organizations like orphanages and mission trips. Not only that, but they enrich their community through things like being involved in city events like the Hometown Huddle, supporting local teachers through cards and free drinks,  as well as even being members of the Jenks Chamber of Commerce. 

“I started this business with the idea of giving and providing a place that's really comfortable.” said Etter, “This place is built off of wanting to help people.”

The Mercantile section of Mojo's, filled with gifts and fun goodies from around the world.

Mojo’s is a defining variable in our community and an amazing example of the goodness in giving back. So, the next time you hold your steaming cup of hot coffee or stopped through a slow drive-through line, think about taking a sip in helping support something, maybe, even think about taking a cup of Mojo’s. Want to learn more about Mojo’s and its mission? click here for more!