By Rhea Choudhary | Arts & Life Writer
For Baylor students searching for their new study spot, a place to meet friends or a quick stop to grab a pick-me-up coffee before classes, convenience can matter even more than what is in a cup.
Whether students come to try a pumpkin latte or are looking for a quiet corner outside of their dorm between classes, For Keeps’ newest location provides a coffee run that barely feels like leaving campus.
Located inside the Baylor Baptist Student Ministry building at 1815 S. Fourth St., the coffee shop opened a couple weeks ago. However, unlike the For Keeps location on Bosque Boulevard, which is around 10 minutes from campus, the new location is a short walk from Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation, the Baylor Sciences Building and East Village side of campus.
Being inside the BSM building makes the location easy to miss, but for the students who take a few extra steps to find it, the Baylor shop location offers what the original location cannot: the option to acquire coffee without having to make an extra trip across town.
“It’s been pretty slow so far, but as students have started to come, it’s been more exciting,” Waco resident Macee Booth, a shift lead and barista at For Keeps, said. “It’s really cool to just see everybody sit and talk for a while.”
Booth said the shop has brought in a mix of customers. She said one of her favorite parts of working there has been watching the different reasons students walk through the door.
“I can tell when people like really know each other, and they run up and give each other a big hug and then order together,” Booth said. “Or people even meet each other here for the first time.”
For others coming into the BSM, the coffee shop is less about conversation and more about getting through a couple of hours of focused, attentive studying.
“I also think there are a lot of people who sit and put their headphones in and find a cozy place to get work done,” Booth said.
For the times that the shop is opening in the early mornings, its walk-up to-go window gives customers the chance to grab their coffee and go on their way to class without having to wait inside, with drinks being made quickly.
“People just walk by, place their order and get their drink on the way to class,” Booth said.
For their convenience, students can order ahead through For Keeps’ mobile ordering system, making the stop practical for those rushing between classes.
For Keeps has built a following for Baylor students through its Bosque Boulevard location. The shop has also recently taken more control over its coffee, transitioning to roasting its own beans in-house. This shift gave For Keeps more flexibility over its coffee and allowed the shop to trial its various roasting flavors.
For many students, specifically those without access to a vehicle or students living on campus, the convenience is what makes the new location appealing.
“As a freshman, I spent a lot of time studying at [Moody Memorial Library] because that was the best place to go to get my work done, but especially since it was the most convenient,” Southlake sophomore Grace Kuruvilla said. “But with this new coffee shop open right near campus, I would have enjoyed having it while I lived on campus.”
For those who haven’t made their way to try For Keeps, baristas and customers have described its practicality to be the biggest draw.
The varied options of the walk-up window being available for quick orders versus the indoor seating aesthetic gives students a reason to stay awhile and enjoy the space. The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., which Booth hopes will gradually bring in more students looking for their afternoon spot.
“I think the afternoons have been pretty slow,” Booth said. “I do think that once people realize we’re open until 5, they’ll start taking advantage of studying here after class.”
For students wondering what to order to romanticize their fall season, Booth has recommended trying the seasonal favorite drink options.
“Right now, our seasonal drinks are really awesome,” Booth said. “I really like the pumpkin caramel latte. It’s my favorite right now.”
