Coffee shop provides alternative study atmosphere

The scent of roasting coffee beans permeates the air, weaving its way amongst groups of chattering, laughing and concentrating people. Papers and laptops lay strewn across tables as welcoming employees serve freshly made lattes and teas directly to each table.

Augustana junior Elizabeth Schaeffer sits by the fireplace reading. She studies here two or three times every week, often for hours at a time. Taking a break from her reading, she scans the room for people she may know. She smiles at the girls giggling in the corner and the barely counter-height child who is not-quite-patiently standing with his father at the register. She returns to her reading.

Coffea Roasterie & Espresso Bar maintains a warm, inviting atmosphere. With college students making up about half of their customer base, it is nearly impossible to enter the shop without seeing someone deep in concentration as they write and study.

Trey Sutherland and Rollie Steck, both juniors at Augustana, study at Coffea three to four days every week as well. Today, they share a pot of cinnamon tea while Sutherland delves into studies for his History of Music class. He stops flipping his flashcards abruptly when an old acquaintance enters the shop and interrupts him. The acquaintance stays for a while.

Giddily chattering, they fill the room with laughter. After nursing a Jones Soda for nearly two hours, he leaves. Sutherland, smiling to himself, turns back to his flashcards.

Sutherland reminisces about his first visit to Coffea. ''Right as we walked in, I saw some employees square-dancing behind the counter,'' he says. ''This was when I knew I would like this place.''

Coffea employee Todd DeWitt estimates college students comprise more than half of their customer base.

''Usually anywhere from six to close, we have nothing but college students in here,'' DeWitt says.

DeWitt has seen an increase of college students, as well as middle-aged people, visiting the store since he began working at Coffea when it opened its doors on March 31, 2009.
Coffee isn't the only reason Sutherland studies here.

''The library is a very monotonous environment,'' Sutherland says. ''I can't stand pure silence when I study.''

With nearly every chair in the store filled on any given night, there is no shortage of background noise at Coffea. Sutherland says he finds the white noise provides a barrier for distractions.

Rollie Steck agrees.

''I burnt myself out on the library,'' he says.

Steck sits with his computer open. He takes time to relax and laugh for a bit when

Sutherland's acquaintance comes in. Then, he returns to his fast-fingered typing.

Students from the other colleges in town spend time at Coffea as well. Today, Aubrey Bohl, a sophomore at the University of Sioux Falls, meets with two friends, Adam Sieff and Ty Ford. Sieff attends Sioux Falls Seminary. Ford takes classes at the University Center. They take turns tasting each other's drinks while chatting with some employees.

As Coffea employees perform their closing duties, customers trickle out of the shop. They close at 10 p.m. It is now 10:15. Eight people still sit here, working tediously and finishing up conversations, allowed to stay until the employees themselves leave. One by one, the last few customers leave. Coffea employees smile, saying, ''Have a good night,'' or ''See you tomorrow.''

Schaeffer reckons she completes the same amount of work here as she does in the library.

However, she would rather study at Coffea. ''I like the coffee, the atmosphere, and I almost always see someone I know,'' Schaeffer says, just before the volume level in the shop increases. Smiling, she sips her water. She returns to her reading.