With finals approaching, there are many coffee houses around Marquette that offer a space for students to bring their work. With everything from caffeine-free tea to lattes with three shots of espresso, coffee shops provide a tranquil atmosphere where students can study in the coming weeks. 

The 231 West Patisserie coffee shop offers free Wi-Fi, plenty of seating and many windows throughout the shop. Located at 231 W Washington St, this patisserie (a French name for a pastry shop), offers macchiatos, iced coffees, chai and a variety of other drinks. Students can order loose leaf tea or lattes, and an order of drip coffee comes with free refills.

“[231 West Patisserie] provides a positive and light environment to do school work rather than somewhere on campus, which can cause anxiety and stress,” Sydney Higgins, front-of-house manager for the shop, said. “You can sit here for eight hours and sip on coffee all day if you’d like. It is fun to be able to provide for our community, and it’s a college town so it’s fun to see the traffic.”

Beyond beverages, 231 West Patisserie offers a variety of desserts and pastries, including a colorful assortment of macarons. The shop provides lunch and dinner options as well. 

“You’re getting real, raw ingredients rather than the superficial fake stuff, which is also comforting,” Higgins said. 

Rachel Kramer, senior English major, enjoys the relaxed environment that 231 West Patisserie provides, equipped with fun drinks and snacks. 

“Even with all the noise going on, everyone’s pretty to themselves about it,” Kramer said. “You can really burrow into your work and have this social, but not invasive, atmosphere.”

231 West Patisserie also owns Dia de los Tacos, a taco and burrito food truck that serves food in-house every day beginning at 5 p.m. All of the tacos are gluten-free, with vegetarian and vegan options as well. 

“It’s just a good, yummy, filling meal to have,” Higgins said. 

231 West Patisserie is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., inviting students to stay there until later in the evening. 

“You can come late and have a space to actually work and stay focused,” Higgins said. “I’d rather sit at a coffee shop than at my house.” 

Another popular study locale in Marquette has been converted from an old townhouse to a coffee shop. The Crib is a quaint coffee shop that roasts all of its coffee beans in-house, offers a full loose-leaf tea and coffee bar and serves alcoholic beverages for students of drinking age. Located at 401 N Third St, The Crib provides a quiet space for students to relax and unwind.

“[The Crib] has a pretty cozy vibe with many different nooks and corners to do some good studying,” Emily Wegemer, general manager at The Crib, said. 

Offering free Wi-Fi, The Crib is unique in that it allows students to reserve upstairs rooms for a more isolated study environment.

“It’s nice to have some different rooms and spaces to find your own space and really zone in on your work,” Wegemer said. 

With finals soon arriving, Maria Flynn, sophomore environmental studies major, is one student who has found comfort at The Crib. Flynn studies at coffee shops because she doesn’t have a desk at home and is more productive in a space with a table, especially one that offers caffeine. 

“I feel like at home we all talk about our problems and everything that’s going on,” Flynn said. “I can really get into the zone at a coffee shop.” 

The Crib is open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Other coffee houses around town include Contrast Coffee located at 600 N Third St., Velodrome Coffee Company located at 519 W Washington St. and Dead River Coffee Roasters located at 119 W Baraga Ave. 

“It is understandable that people are maybe feeling some burnout, maybe needing a little bit of rest while they wrap up their school year,” Wegemer said. “Hopefully they’re able to find a little bit of calm and rest here while studying and wrapping it up.”