JuJu's Sets The Tone For Fast-Casual Dining In GB

There’s a cool new kid on the block in Great Barrington —one that brings equal parts personality and simplicity to downtown dining. Enter Juju’s, located at The Triplex Cinema, an approachable, quick-service joint that aims to be yum and fun. Foodies from far and wide will recognize Josh Irwin (of neighboring MoonCloud and former Cantina 229 fame) as the brains behind this tasty, albeit tiny, operation. What might be news is that while Irwin remains keen on feeding folks, his new model tackles a trio of long-term passion projects: serving quality food, addressing workforce housing, and building community. 

“I’ve been playing with the idea of fast-casual for a while,” says Irwin who shuttered his wildly popular New Marlborough eatery on the heels of the post-COVID housing crisis. A dearth of affordable housing made finding help an insurmountable obstacle when coupled with rising costs across the board.

“I truly thought I was out, and done with [owning and operating] restaurants,” says Irwin who —after a couple years on the sidelines —realized he still had some good ideas to share. “And people still gotta eat,” Irwin says, calling JuJu’s an exercise in seeing if he could indeed serve great food, make folks happy, and pay fair wages while staying afloat in a competitive market.

The result is a streamlined system that hinges on a pair of integral ingredients: Foot traffic (easy to come by on Railroad Street), and a hyper-focused menu which, for folks familiar with Irwin’s ethos, is no surprise. Krispy Bites take center stage — featuring popcorn chicken, popcorn cauliflower, onion petals and tater tots — served with a choice of six saucey dips from hot chipotle to pesto aioli. Poppin’ Pitas can be stuffed with either in addition to loads of fresh produce, tater tots, and a sauce of choice. Irwin and his small-but-mighty Squad have reprised the OG Caesar (IYKYK) and added a Sumac Fatush topped with feta, pita crisp and lemon tahini.

In the spirit of supporting local, Juju’s is keeping the Highlawn Farm herd of Jersey cows in business (to the tune of 30 gallons of milk each week) making their swoon-worthy Slappin’ Soft Serve. Irwin is quick to point out that Juju’s is not an ice cream shop by any means, and they do not boast dozens of flavors; instead, they are serving a premium, unique product geared toward the adventurous, open-minded palate. Side-by-side machines churn out a rotating menu of four flavors — from sweet cream and nutella to strawberry and vegan mango — plus a handful of optional toppings (think cereal crunch and caramel dip).

“The menu plays down the middle,” says Irwin of fare equally capable of satiating adult palates and picky, pint-sized eaters. And, while there’s no alcohol on his menu, it’s available next door. In fact, Juju’s proximity to — and collaboration with — The Triplex Cinema stands to be a boon for locals and visitors alike.

“Having a local, small movie theater in town plays a huge role in creating a community hub,” says Irwin of the newly formed non-profit entity whose future was uncertain prior to July 2023. “I wanted to do something that was complementary to their vision — that made a night out at the movies really fun, with ice cream afterwards — and drew some attention to the theater as well,” says Irwin. In the spirit of putting his money where his mouth is, Irwin invites customers to round up [their change] for The Triplex which, regardless of whether or not people participate, starts a conversation about the importance of supporting these community-oriented entities so many folks have come to enjoy.

After having been around the block a few times, Irwin remains rife with intention — and his values are more aligned than ever. He cites, “boundaries, balance, and family time” as super important to his current recipe for success, all of which were tough to come by while running a full-service, brick-and-mortar restaurant. He’s solved another problem, too: finding folks trained to support his culinary creativity.

“I invested heavily in equipment, simplicity, and systems to get to a place where even my eight-year-old son can be a valuable asset to the team,” says Irwin, proud of having found a viable way forward by insisting on a new paradigm. Two of his cooks are Haitian refugees, one of whom came to Great Barrington in October seeking sanctuary.

Josh Irwin at the ice cream window

“When I learned they were being forced to relocate to Springfield, I wanted to help,” says Irwin of two young parents who wanted to stay put. He ultimately hired them and, when the local shelter closed, helped them to find a rental property. The woman’s brother, whom she had not seen in seven years, soon joined them from Missouri, allowing her to be a stay-at-home mom.

“If you can’t afford rent here, I’m not doing my job as a business owner,” says Irwin who cites this part of launching his new business as one of the most rewarding. “It’s a family affair,” he says, before addressing his choice of moniker.

“We’re here to keep spreading that good juju through random acts of kindness and not-so-random good food. It’s just that simple.”

Juju’s
70 Railroad Street, Great Barrington
Monday and Tuesday, 3 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.