Tucked in the back corner of One World Cafe is a study room adorned with a long wooden table and enough chairs to sit a large group of friends. The wall behind the table is floor-to-ceiling chalkboard, covered in Chinese characters.
Co-owner Brandy Sullivan said although she could not decipher the writing on the wall, it captured the heart of the cafe’s role in the Moscow community.
“That is one of the things I love, just looking at our meeting room book and seeing all these groups of students that are from different clubs or organizations and they’re in here learning and brainstorming and socializing,” Sullivan said.
Located on the corner of Sixth and Main Street, One World provides a coffee and study destination just a short walk away from campus, making it easy for students to escape the daily routine of campus life.
“Some people have said it feels like Moscow’s living room,” Sullivan said. “I think, as a student, when you are stressed out, you just need a break from campus and maybe the library just isn’t what you had in mind, it is just nice to have another place where you can meet people and just have a break from campus life while you are still working.”
After nearly 13 years of business, Sullivan said this comfortable and community-centric atmosphere is what keeps students coming in.
“We have an environment and a feeling that really strives to make everyone feel welcome and a part of what we are,” Sullivan said. “That is one of the great things about having the university here is just the diversity the university brings, and we want to celebrate that here and include everybody, make everybody feel a part of it.”
One World Co-owner Sara Beth Pritchett said for many, the cafe is more than just a spot to hang out and study.
At any given point in the week, tables and study spots around One World are littered with text books and sleep deprived students. Between the piles of papers and laptops sit community members drinking a cup of coffee or perhaps meeting up with friends.
“The people who live in Moscow, the community members, the professors, a lot of people who work at the university, they continuously come in here, so it’s more than just their college experience, it is part of their lives,” Pritchett said. “This new batch of students coming every four years or every year gives us this rotation and kind of new vibes and this very youthful energy and I think that’s what draws the people that spend their lives here coming back, because it’s always something new and different.”
While it is not the cafe’s first time being recognized as the best coffee spot in Moscow, Sullivan said it shows the connection the students have to the cafe.
“To have the recognition from the students and know that they love coming here and value it just makes us feel really satisfied, like we’ve accomplished one of our goals to just really connect with students and have them really not just experience campus life but life in Moscow.”
Meredith Spelbring can be reached at [email protected]