TRENTON - A town long-dominated by rumple-suited guys trying and catastrophically

failing to be cool, New Jersey's capital city this afternoon made way for an officer on deck and her entourage of fellow women leaders and supportive lawmaker colleagues.

Governor Mikie Sherrill, state Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29), Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-15) and others convened on the downtown spot formerly occupied by Starbucks, Trenton's staple brand name coffee shop and COVID-19 business casualty.

Here they met powerhouse businesswoman Joanne Canady-Brown, founder of Gingered Peach Bakery in Lawrence and owner of Rojo’s Roastery in Princeton, who's targeting late fall to open her coffee and donut shop at 102 S. Warren Street, a mash-up of both businesses named Rojo’s Roastery & The Gingered Peach.

Sherrill was delighted by the prospect of a new coffee shop within walking distance of the State Capitol.

“We’re committed to making New Jersey the best place to start and grow a business—including for minority and women entrepreneurs where longstanding disparities have deprived them of critical opportunities,” said Governor Sherrill. “I want to thank the owners and operators of Rojos Roastery and The Gingered Peach, Joanne and Kelly, for hosting this critical discussion, as well as local leaders, as we continue the work to break down barriers and streamline government so that these entrepreneurs can reach their full potential and grow generational wealth.”

Check out InsiderNJ's interview of Ms. Canady-Brown below, and Governor Sherrill's introductory remarks at the Roundtable: