Developing Coffee Shop culture during the pandemic

caring way, things seem to turn out for the better. “You’re always changing and you’re looking for ways to adapt because no single day is like the same day before it,” Jensen said. “You get really good at being proactive. You know as the little guy we’re still pushing through this and there’s not a whole lot of advantages of only having 245 square feet of business besides its charm, but we’ve just stepped right through [any obstacles] in a nice, orderly, respectful way. We just looked at them as an opportunity to turn it into a positive thing.” Jensen says he gets a wide variety of customers from all around the Kansas City area, including a lot of plaid skirts after 3:00 p.m. “The Pembroke kids are supportive and we get people who meet [at the shop] just to talk, people come down after their workouts up at Woodside, and we see a lot of baby carriages,” Jensen said. “That’s really one of the charms of the whole place. If it was all 20-somethings that wouldn’t be great and if it was all 60-year-olds it wouldn’t be great but it’s all ages, all kinds, you know, from every corner.” Senior Beatrice Curry hasn’t been to Hi-Hat specifically but has utilized other local coffee shops’ study spaces as a way to get out of the house during COVID-19. Being in an art portfolio class, Curry spends a good amount of her after-school time drawing, and finding a quiet study space with good lighting is a must for her. Curry highly recommends the Filling Station in Midtown to any STA students who are looking for a safe, out-of-the-house place to work. “I think that it is very important for people to have space outside of their homes that is quiet to work in because sometimes your family can be distracting or you just need a change of scenery,” Curry said. “And I think that if there is a dine-in option that’s possible, and if you can be there safely, I would encourage it. [The Filling Station] has a pretty big outdoor seating area, and it’s pretty interesting visually. They have sculptures outside and I think it’s just a nice and cool space. The Filling Station is open until six so you have plenty of time to do work there. And it’s never too crowded, the chairs are outside

Senior Beatrice Curry studies outside of the Filling Station in Midtown Sept. 29. She visits the coffee shop often, and it has become one of her favorite places to go during quarantine.

and they’re distanced. If you want it to sit inside there, there are a few seats and it’s a big enough space with a lot of airflow.” The COVID-19 pandemic has put a new spin on “claustrophobia” by emphasizing self-isolation. Following social distancing protocols plays an immense role in keeping those around us physically healthy but can weaken our own “mental immune systems” by increasing stress and anxiety levels. The opening of coffee shops has offered a safe and healthy way for communities to cope with the unsteadiness of the pandemic. “As good as it is to stay away from people, do more social distancing and stay at home as much as you can; it’s nice to be able to get out of my house and go to work every day,” Bene said. “I’m really lucky that I even got a job during the pandemic. I know being cramped up inside can cause a little cabin fever, so the Roasterie has been a fun place to work at. Just being able to get to go out and talk to people and talk to my coworkers lifts my mood.” B

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An actor dressed as a zombie from The Beast in Kansas City poses for a photo fall 2019. Named “the best haunted house” in the nation, The Beast is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. photo courtesy of McBride Media and marketing