If you see someone riding on a cool trike around campus and town with what looks like beer taps stop them and have a taste of Statesboro's newest coffee shop's signature nitro coffee and nitro tea.
        Dubbed "Rock-It Coffee Orbiter" the trike, along with Rock-It Coffee, is the creation of local entrepreneurs and Statesboro native Lee Barnes and, new-to-Statesboro, Kent Hill. Rock-It Coffee is located between Barefoot and Dingus Magees at 1596 Chandler Road.
        Barnes, a Georgia Southern alum, and his wife Amy, recently returned to Statesboro after his long career in investment banking and construction. They were not ready to completely retire and began looking for retail opportunities in Statesboro.
        "We are hoping to bring a smoothie franchise to town and in the process of looking for a location for that business we discovered this location adjacent to campus. It did not meet the requirements for the franchise," Barnes said. "However, my wife Amy thought it would be a great location for a coffee shop."
        The two began exploring the idea and that is when Allen Muldrew, executive director of the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, along with Lee's sister, the locally famous "Alicia B," connected him with Hill.
        "I have extensive marketing and retail experience working with national brands like Coke and Kellogg," Hill said. "I, too, was looking for a local opportunity when Allen and Alicia put Lee and I together. We clicked instantly and soon after Rock-It Coffee was born."
        After researching the market and working to figure out their niche, they discovered the nitro coffee and tea products. Nitrogen, a transparent, odorless, diatomic gas is added to a keg along with coffee which yields a foamy, caffeinated beverage known as "nitro coffee." It has a smooth, creamy taste and fizzy beer-esque look.
        Rock-it Coffee also has fresh brewed coffee and features selections of the day from Three Tree Coffee, which specializes in fine Organic and Free Trade coffees from Costa Rica, Peru and Columbia, expertly roasted in Statesboro by Three Tree.
Barnes and Hill said Rock-it also is working with Three Tree to develop an exclusive Rock-it Fuel blend that will help "you reach escape velocity from the ordinary blends."
         All specialty coffee and teas are made to order and can be made hot or cold.
        "Rock-It Toffee Coffee" is my personal favorite, topped with a little whipped cream and cinnamon. Expresso, Latte and Cappuccino are also available along with out of this world treats, sandwiches and shakes.
        Check out Statesboro's newest coffee shop, Rock-It Coffee at 1596 Chandler Road across from GSU's Dining Commons.