Located on the square, on the corner of East Hopkins and North LBJ Drive, sits the Coffee Bar. One of the few Cafes close to the University where students frequent to study or grab a bite to eat. 
Located on the square, on the corner of East Hopkins and North LBJ Drive, sits the Coffee Bar. One of the few Cafes close to the University where students frequent to study or grab a bite to eat. 
Open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Coffee Bar is always ready to host students with creative minds or who just need a place to get away from their apartments or dorm rooms. 
Lydia Awlachew loves stopping by the Coffee Bar before class to get herself a bite to eat, “Something I like about going to cafes is getting to treat myself to some sort of treat. I usually enjoy getting myself a muffin or bagel before class as a snack.” 
The Coffee Bar offers a calm and relaxing atmosphere for students to come and study and work on assignments, but they also provide merchandise of their establishment, like the shirt seen here, such as “Pot Head.” 
Devon Khalsa (left) and Manali Sunkara (right) are working on their assignments for their respective classes as they sit and enjoy the atmosphere of the coffee bar. Devon comes to the coffee bar to get some work done and be alone but also in the presence of others. Meanwhile, Manali enjoys the atmosphere as it can “be the background for a casual chat with a friend, or a place to tunnel in and get some work done.” Either way, it’s a great escape for both of them. 
Studying for an upcoming exam, Maya Boehm is a newly welcomed San Martian as she recently moved from the UK to attend Texas State. Focused as she is, she enjoys the Coffee Bar for its atmosphere and natural lighting through the cafe’s many windows. 
An upcoming graduate of Texas State, Morgan McCullough, drinks a chai latte while working on a paper for her English class. She says the cafe’s environment helps keep her focused, and the fact she can get coffee when she needs a pick-me-up is a bonus. “I really love coffee,” is what she said. 
The next cafe we visited was Mochas and Javas, located at 700 N LBJ Dr #100 in San Marcos, TX. This is another place where students come to frequent and study for exams. Still, this place also offers excellent breakfast options and is closer to other restaurants if students feel hungry for something more filling. 
Sofia Psolka can be seen taking Serraih Murray’s order of a salted caramel mocha latte, though she recommends that people try a cortado made with oat milk. “It’s good if students want a little pick me up between working on their assignments or before heading to their next class.” 
Madison Caropepe is getting ready to whip up drinks to caffeinate students behind the bar. She often sees many students coming in to study for upcoming exams or writing late into the evenings to get their assignments or papers turned in on time. Her favorite drink to make is a honey and brown sugar oat milk latte! 
Many students and residents of San Marcos come to Mochas and Javas to relax and enjoy the bustling atmosphere of Mochas and Javas as it provides a kind of background noise for those who want to be alone and yet works in a busy environment. 
Nosso Karamoko (left) and Olivia Aliassadi (right) are hanging out together at Mochas and Javas as a trio with an unseen group member who isnt pictured yet. At the same time, they are hanging out; they’re working on various assignments due that same night but decided to hang out, catch up, and have a coffee together. “Being together is nice, especially when you can all motivate or even help each other with assignments,” Nosso said. “Or just give opinions we don’t know the subject,” Olivia chimed in. 
As part of the trio of friends with Nosso and Olivia in the photo before, Danna Braga is working hard and working on McGraw-Hill to complete some homework that is due at midnight. “Being able to enjoy a cafe and the atmosphere like this with my friends makes for great company, and it doesn’t make homework feel so much like a chore.” 
A Tim-Burton-inspired cafe is also close to campus for those who don’t mind a bit of a walk. Wake the Dead cafe is located at 1432 Old Ranch Rd 12 in San Marcos, TX. This is the only cafe I have found to offer lavender syrup, which other cafes lack in the area. Not to mention offers a much more quiet atmosphere and a back patio. 
Here we see Dana Dacy working behind the bar, talking with customers to take their orders or make recommendations as to what customers should get. For example, the Lavender lemonade or even rose lemonade as they offer floral syrups that other cafes don’t offer. 
At Wake the Dead, they have a rather large back patio where students or guests of the establishment can bring their furry friends to hang out with them to either study or just get away from their homes and take in a different environment. 
Seraiah Murray enjoys taking a bite out of Wake the Dead for the sweet treats they offer and the beautiful environment they create. She says the cafe gives a very peaceful vibe, given its Tim Burton-esque theme. “The snacks they offer here are great for a slight sweet tooth, but you also get to meet all these unique people that come around and hang out with their friends.” She says there are plenty of extraordinary moments to capture with her Canon Rebel T6 camera in this area, which is another reason she comes around. 
Seraiah Murray enjoys taking a bite out of Wake the Dead for the sweet treats they offer and the beautiful environment they create. She says the cafe gives a very peaceful vibe, given its Tim Burton-esque theme. “The snacks they offer here are great for a slight sweet tooth, but you also get to meet all these unique people that come around and hang out with their friends.” She says there are plenty of extraordinary moments to capture with her Canon Rebel T6 camera in this area, which is another reason she comes around. 
Wake the Dead is also environmentally conscious as they ask you to recycle your cans, bottles, papers, and plastics once you’re done with them in a cute, quirky way. However, it’s eye-catching for the person who sees the message, that’s for sure. 
Inside, we came across Aidan Ross, a senior at Texas State who was working on some edits for his Television News class and just wanted to escape his office for a bit. “I come to cafes to escape the existential dread I feel working too long in my office,” he said as he took a sip of his latte. “Also, the blend of coffee and music helps me come up with outside-of-the-box ideas and innovations.” 
Inside, we came across Aidan Ross, a senior at Texas State who was working on some edits for his Television News class and just wanted to escape his office for a bit. “I come to cafes to escape the existential dread I feel working too long in my office,” he said as he took a sip of his latte. “Also, the blend of coffee and music helps me come up with outside-of-the-box ideas and innovations.” 
Inside, we came across Aidan Ross, a senior at Texas State who was working on some edits for his Television News class and just wanted to escape his office for a bit. “I come to cafes to escape the existential dread I feel working too long in my office,” he said as he took a sip of his latte. “Also, the blend of coffee and music helps me come up with outside-of-the-box ideas and innovations.”
Texas State Students always look for places to study on and off campus, whether it’s a place to get away and enjoy a different environment, a place with good vibes and atmosphere, or a place with Wi-Fi needed to help them complete their assignments. Cafes are the most popular spots for students looking to get away from the library and find a different niche.
The community of San Marcos has plenty of cafes scattered around the area for students to choose from. Whether they want to study or enjoy a good cup of coffee, there are plenty of options around San Marcos that will cater to their needs. Some locals responded to a Texas State Multimedia poll on Facebook about their favorite cafe in the area and why. For Eloise Hudson, a former student at Texas State and now a mother of one, the local coffee shop was much more than a place to study. “My husband and I used to have dates at Mochas and Javas. We weren’t actually dating, we were ‘studying together,’ lol. Now, we have been married 15 years. Mochas and Javas will always have a special place in my heart.” Hudson isn’t the only one to have sweet memories at Mochas and Javas – other poll respondents shared their experiences there and also mentioned other cafes.
Out of 48 comments, nine cafes were named.
Each cafe is different from the others due to the atmosphere or how long they’ve been around. For example, according to the Mochas and Javas website, they have been at their current location since 2003, when it was established by Kevin and Kirby Carswell and their wives. Meanwhile, another town favorite called Wake the Dead Coffee House opened in 2008 and has attracted students with a Tim-Burton-esque feel. Nikki Walters commented about Wake the Dead by saying she has been going there since she moved to San Marcos. “Never felt more welcomed somewhere. Owners and baristas care so much about you, the coffee, and the vibe. Love that place so, so, so much!”. Another person named Ali Armstrong commented that Wake the Dead has a ‘super authentic San Marcos feel.’ Not only that, Ms. Armstrong goes on to say, “the staff makes you feel welcome, and there’s always fun things to go see, like art, comedy shows, or poetry slams.”
Cafes are a popular attraction in San Marcos, as there are 13 in total that are around the square and close to the campus. Each has its unique feel and atmosphere that a typical Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts could provide. In a small town like San Marcos, community members flock to cafes to catch up with friends and family, get a quick bite to eat, or find a quiet place to do work that isn’t an office or a study in their homes. A cafe has a way of inspiring those who enter, whether through the people that stay or come and go or the general setting of the cafe. According to BBC Worklife, there are multiple reasons why people feel more creative/productive in cafes. It’s described as a sweet spot of noise and crowds,’ and in a low to moderate level of ambient noise that can be heard, it can boost your creative output.
The article defined that effect as the stochastic resonance or ‘the coffee shop effect.’ In simple terms, its described as a phenomenon where we hear the right amount of noise that benefits our senses. In a cafe setting, the music you hear playing overhead, the coffee being ground in the background, and even the barista having a light conversation with a customer can affect the work you produce. The effect is described by Sunkee Lee, an assistant professor of organizational theory and strategy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lee says, “The combination of noise, casual crowds, and visual variety can give us just the right amount of distraction to help us be our sharpest and most creative.” Creativity is acquired through inspiration, and inspiration comes from the moments that happen around us. Cafes capture the essence of creative minds melding with one another, feeding off the energy around them to produce or work on their assignments.
For Texas State students, that’s true. Elijah Cardana, a barista at a local Starbucks in San Marcos, sees students always coming to study in the cafe area. “It’s a neutral environment where you can work on homework or whatever you’re working on with minimal distractions.” But, they’ve also been on the other end as a student, working on their projects, “Everyone around you is also working on stuff, talking to each other, or enjoying their coffee. Plus, you could take a breather and get a coffee or a pastry if you find yourself getting burned out or stressed.”
Baristas take note of those who enter their cafes and always try to craft the best experience for the customer. Whether a student or a local, they work hard to help create that cafe atmosphere that makes everyone feel welcome in their respective cafes.
