With finals week finally here, many students will stay up into the late hours to get that last minute studying done. With studying, caffeine is almost always present. Students frequent coffee shops more often this week, and the coffee shops are seeing a difference in their sales.
Capanna Coffee
Capanna, 136 S. Dubuque St., offers a free shot of espresso with every drink a student studying buys during this week. Its hours are also extended by one hour this week.
“Even if you get an iced coffee, for instance, you could get a free shot of espresso,” Capanna supervisor Logan Fales said.
Capanna will accommodate students this week by staying open until midnight every night.
“I work here five to six nights a week, and I’ve definitely seen an influx in customers,” Fales said. “Students usually come in during the day and stay for several hours.”
T-Spoons
T-Spoons, located in the Old Capitol Mall and at 301 E. Market St., also offers a free shot of espresso with any mocha or latte special. It will continue to operate within its normal hours, closing each day at 11 p.m.
T-Spoons owner Jammie Goedken, said she usually sees an increase in the number of student customers the week before finals.
She said coffeehouses have more flexibility to offer students, instead of the rigidity that can be associated with a library.
“We try to have the nice ambience, be similar to a comfy kitchen,” she said.
Fair Grounds
Fair Grounds is also following the trend of offering a free shot of espresso with a purchase of a drink; it will be open until 8 p.m. this week.
Fair Grounds, 345 S. Dubuque St., offers a full breakfast and lunch menu all day, as well as coffee, which manager Geoffrey Kunkler believes sets it apart from other coffee shops.
“Anytime during finals week, groups tend to come in here and work for hours,” he said. “You can grab a cup of coffee and a bowl of soup, and that’s pretty good study food. I also think offering vegan and vegetarian options for food is an aspect of the place that draws people in as well.”
For UI senior Kayla Harrington, Fair Grounds’ location and openness drew her in.
“I like the atmosphere here — sometimes, the library’s a little too quiet,” she said. “I like how there are always open tables, compared with places like the Java House, and I like the location a lot better.”