A well-worn, soft leather booth alongside a hot cup of coffee is certainly a relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The bookshelf stuffed to the brim with board games and the delicious scent of fresh brewed coffee draws cafegoer’s to Austin’s Coffee Shop.
The main concern of many teens today is to fit in and do what everyone else deems as “cool” rather than follow their own passions. Sean Moore, the owner of Austin’s, says his “passion has been making a safe environment for young adults.”
The nonjudgmental environment at Austin’s Coffee is perfect for young adults to find their “home.” Austin’s is a place where anyone can be themselves and practice the art they love without the judgement of other’s eyes. Moore welcomes his shop to anyone with open arms.
“[It’s] the place where the rich and poor check their egos out the door,” Moore said.
Moore has owned Austin’s Coffee for about eight years now with his wife, Jackie Moore, and his brother, Steven Moore.
Moore grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, but once he moved to Winter Park, he missed the feeling of a small-town and opened Austin’s. To cultivate that small town feel, the staff is extremely friendly and tries to develop relationships with all the clients.
With furniture purchased from yard sales in the Winter Park area, Austin’s provides a new home for unwanted furniture just like it is a “home” for the odds and ends of Park Ave.
There is also a plethora of board games at Austin’s that are free for anyone to use. Over the years, various customers have donated these board games like Monopoly and Mousetrap to the shop.
“It’s unique because it’s this little coffee shop that doesn’t have any huge signs…but inside it’s really homey,” senior Maya Nair said. “There are so many board games and cards, good music playing, and the people and the food there are amazing.”
Austin’s is also unique because so many different people with various hobbies go there. “The people that go there are generally really nice and laid back,” said junior Julia Malone.
Throughout the week, Austin’s offers several open mic nights. These nights are a great way for aspiring artists to get their names out there.
“[It’s] a place for the artists to be passionate and explore their gifts,” said Moore. “It is a place for starving artists to express themselves.”
Junior Emma Shackelford has played at several open mic nights at Austin’s.
“The atmosphere is really neat, and the fact that people of all different ages come and play the open mic night is so cool to me,” Shackelford said. “The audience is usually pretty relaxed, so it’s not a lot of pressure.”
The open mic nights vary; Moore seeks to reach out to different styles of artists. There is comedy night, poetry night, hip-hop night, jazz night and just the classic open music mic night. Attending these open mic nights is a very relaxing and fun experience. Austin’s is a great place to either study on a Sunday afternoon, or hang out with friends on a Friday night.
Not only is the atmosphere wonderful at Austin’s, but the coffee and food is delicious. Everything is organic and purchased off the free-trade market, which ensures that all the farmers involved in the making of the food are fairly paid. Austin’s also offers vegan and gluten-free food, which provides many different options to people with all types of diets.
Junior Nicole Oney, who has a strict vegan diet, enjoys the different food offered at Austin’s.
“I like their cupcakes a lot,” said Oney. “They are scrumptious and moist.”
Austin’s Coffee is a place where everyone can be themselves, feel accepted and truly have a good time. The nonjudgmental mood combined with the great coffee and food make for an incredible cafe experience and a second “home” to many of the school’s students.
