An Acushnet cafe that sells "coffee with a purpose" is moving out of a food truck and into a brick-and-mortar Fairhaven space to continue helping a local animal shelter.

Joni Rhoads, owner of The Rescue Cafe, began working out of a trailer in November 2021. The relocation comes after Rhoads felt her operation had outgrown its home on wheels.

She has some grand ideas about the new place, just minutes down the road at 414 Main St., Fairhaven. It's the building that used to house Mane Designs salon.

Coffee shops are big news in Fairhaven these days. Sip N Sit Cafe recently opened on Main Street and Dartmouth-based Mirasol's plans to open a a location in town next year.

This has never been your regular coffee shop. It's called The Rescue Cafe because some proceeds go to CARE SouthCoast in Acushnet.

"One of the neat things about this new space is the fenced-in backyard," Rhoads said, envisioning plenty of dog-friendly fundraising events.

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Rhoads said she plans to continue offering everything people have come to expect from the cafe and add some menu items such as smoothies, light eats, and Hawaiian shaved ice.

Rhoads said she also is excited to provide retail space for local artists to share and sell their creations.

So, what's the timeline on opening?

"We have already gone into the space and begun planning and making changes," Rhoads said.

Rhoads plans to close the current incarnation of the cafe on Jan. 31, 2023, and open in Fairhaven by mid-February.

You can follow the Rescue Cafe on Instagram.

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