By: Olive Varvel

Two months ago, morning visits to the newly established Demarest Coffee Co. meant sitting back and taking your time. Now that school is in session, busy schedules have turned sprawling hangout sessions into a frantic stop to get a caffeine fix. 

As summer freedom gives way to fall deadlines, the neighborhood’s newest cafe is learning to adapt. The cafe was built on the concept of the “third space,” a comfortable community hub that isn’t home or school. While the crowd is smaller now than its mid-July opening peak, its role in student life remains vital. Juniors Sara Lin and Adeline Henderson used to enjoy their conversations and coffees at a slow pace throughout the summer, but their visits have turned into quick after-school stops. 

“I went more in the summer because I had more time,” Sara Lin said. “I would stop by after cross country morning practices, since it is conveniently next to the high school.”

Now, Lin and Henderson have found a different way to fit Demarest into their school-year routine. 

“I usually go on Thursdays because I don’t have an eighth period,” Henderson said. “I like to go with Sara to relax and treat myself,” 

Rather than using the extra time to catch up on homework, Lin views the coffee company as a break from it. She said that Demarest’s atmosphere is a bit too distracting for her to be productive. Lin and Henderson instead use the cafe’s welcoming space as a photo backdrop or as a place to relax in between school and extracurricular activities.

Henderson emphasizes that she goes to Demarest because it is convenient and an easy way to relax after a tiring day of school. Demarest fosters a unique atmosphere because it encourages community by incorporating a variety of ways to relax and comfy furniture.