Joplin, MO: Live Like a Local
Curious how Joplin, MO, locals spend their time and where they frequent? To get the scoop, we sat down with Chalise Cooper, who serves as an engineering administrative assistant at Liberty Utilities.
Though Cooper is a Kansas native, her grandmother lived in Joplin, so she visited the area often. Cooper moved to the area in 2002, attending college just across the Kansas border at Pittsburg State University, and graduated in 2006.
Read on to learn more about Cooper and the things she loves about her city.
How would you describe Joplin?
We’re a small town, but we have a lot of cities around us. We’re sort of a central hub for people to travel through or stop on their way to work.
What are your favorite coffee shops in Joplin?
I love Joplin Greenhouse & The Coffee Shop. My nine-year-old says he’s a farmer, and we have a space at the community garden at Joplin Empire Market. We started growing vegetables three years ago, but we go to Joplin Greenhouse quite a bit because he likes to buy seeds and plants there.
They have this thing called the puffle – it’s a puffed waffle. You can get it sweet or savory. I also like the Joplin Avenue Coffee Co. They have a large variety of herbal teas and a big back room where you can go do some work or read or just hang out. Those are probably my two favorites.
What are your favorite places to dine in Joplin, MO?
I am definitely a foodie. Most of the mom-and-pop places are on Main Street or close to it. I absolutely love The Bruncheonette – it is delicious, and their menu items are very unique. They work with local farmers to source their ingredients. They have things like Cuban-style eggs benedict and breakfast tacos.
Red Onion Cafe is another of my favorites. They have great options if you need keto-friendly or gluten-free choices. Their menu has burgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes. We go to Hackett Hot Wings for work lunches – they have the best wings in town.
For dinner, I’d recommend Blackstone Gastropub. It’s only been here a few years, but their food is really good. They specialize in smoked meats. Crabby’s is a good local seafood place, and Thai Time is a tiny little Thai place, but their food is delicious.
What sorts of gyms are there in Joplin, MO?
For a small town, we have a lot of gyms because we’re sort of a hub with other towns around us, so we have chains like 24 Hour Fitness, Planet Fitness and there are a couple of CrossFit places.
Tell us about Joplin’s outdoor activities.
For outdoor activities, we have very nice courses for frisbee golf at Landreth Park and McClelland Park. The city is working on the bike trail system here. We have trails to bike on, but they need to be better connected. Grand Falls is a popular place for people to go. There are a lot of flat rocks to hang out on, have a picnic and take photos, and kids like to swim and explore. We have lots of parks here and three different swimming pools, one of which is getting remodeled right now into a mega splash park and an ice skating rink that will open next year. We had several parks that had some damage due to the tornado, and one got redone and now has a dog park, a splash pad and outdoor exercise equipment.
What are some of the best neighborhoods in Joplin, MO, for people looking to buy a home?
Joplin is growing quite a bit, so there are a bunch of new apartment complexes on the southside of town near the hospital. Now that we have a medical school, there’s been development around that. There is newer housing built because of that, but we also have some older homes.
What are some of the ways people can get involved in the Joplin, MO, community?
We have tons of organizations here that people can get involved in. There are young professionals groups, arts organizations, lots of civic groups. There are quite a few groups where people can volunteer to help unhoused people, and there are pet-focused organizations. Pretty much everything you can think of when it comes to volunteering your time, we have.
This article is sponsored by Choose Joplin, which is actively supported by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Joplin.
