Working from a Coffee Shop: Scout’s Coffee Bar in High Bridge
Scout’s Coffee Bar and Mercantile is an independent coffee shop located in Hunterdon County in the small town of High Bridge, NJ (population approx 3,000 people).
What I love about independent coffee shops and cafes is that they’re homey, unique, and have options for sale you may not see anywhere else. Some are nestled in adorable downtown areas, like High Bridge, that I love to explore.
Scout’s Coffee Bar is a family-owned business that is committed to serving the Hunterdon County community with good coffee, good food, and a mercantile filled with handmade products. The owners, Nicole & Adam, named the shop after their dog, Scout…and I love their logo.
Opened in August 2016. Scout became a reality due to a love of coffee, tea, and retail. Nicole and Adam love to find new coffee shops when traveling, and Nicole always wanted to open a gift store with cards and gifts.
When a local coffee shop was leaving their space on Main St, they decided to take over the space and keep the equipment and try their chance at the coffee business! Nicole’s gift shop became a reality when they added the gift shop in conjunction.
In addition to their own merch with their super cute logo, the shop includes a combination of local goods and specialty items they think the community might like that corresponds to the lifestyle they’re living. All of their printed items are done locally at. Their greeting cards are from local artists, including Nicole’s own Nightingale Card line. AND they have a collaboration with Mt. Lebanon soap for their own Coffee Scrub Soap. Just to name a few things…
Beverage #1 – Lavender Latte
Not only am I impressed that Scout makes their own lavender syrup in house, but that their barista was able to make art work using almond milk!
Scout uses Homestead Coffee Roasters in Pennsylvania. They choose them as their coffee provider because all of their coffee is organic and they started as a small business.
Beverage #2: Lemon Verbena Tea
All of Scout’s caffeinated and decaf teas come from Harney and Son’s in NY. They chose this family-owned tri-state tea business manily because they’ve been fans of their tea for decades. In fact they used to make a special stop their on annual road trips to Vermont and got to know their family.
In addition to their coffee and espresso drinks, they also serve loose leaf teas, creative lattes which they steam in house, and breakfast and lunch offerings.
Ingredients for breakfast for lunch and dinner including their own in-house baking, ingredients from local farmers like Two Barn Farm, and sandwiches using local Bobolink Bread. Scout makes a lot of their food including Breakfast Burritos, hummus, and chicken salad, and has plenty of vegan and gluten free options.
Scout’s is a great location because you definitely pick up the sense of community from the moment you walk in. Their baristas and fun and friendly, and make connections with their costumers. From the multiple people who make it their office away from home, to their carefully curated mercantile shop featuring local goods, and their food options…it was the perfect stop for myself to grab some caffeine and get some work done.
Looking for stuff to do in the area? Scout’s is located just footsteps away from the trail head for the scenic Columbia Trail. Enjoy the waterfalls, Ken Lockwood Gorge, bike ride out to Long Valley’s aromatic woods and make a day of it. You are also a short distance from other historic downtowns in Hunterdon County like Clinton, Lambertville, Flemington, and Frenchtown.
For more information on Scout’s Coffee Bar + Mercantile visit their Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Fun Fact: I wrote this entire post IN Scout’s, proving I am much more productive working outside of my home.
