(Isa Halle)
Coffee shops are great study spots for students because a café can provide a more productive atmosphere when compared to studying at home or at school due to its ambient music and lack of distractions. For me, the key to a good coffee shop is delicious food, a comfortable atmosphere, and natural light. The quality of coffee doesn’t impact my coffee shop preferences; it’s more about the feeling of the place rather than its drinks. Sylvia Glazier, a student at Franklin agrees, explaining how a key factor when choosing a coffee shop isn’t the drinks “since everywhere in Portland has good coffee.” I often resort to Rain or Shine, located on SE Division Street and 60th Avenue, a mere 10-minute walk from Franklin. But many coffee shops are larger, open for longer, and closer to Franklin than you may think.
Speedboat Coffee
Located on the corner of Foster Road and 51st Avenue, Speedboat Coffee is a 10-minute walk from Franklin. It is a quaint coffee shop open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. that I like to call Franklin’s best-kept secret. Many students know Rain or Shine, but few have heard of Speedboat despite their roughly equal distance from Franklin. Proximity is not Speedboat’s only enticing quality. They have food that is not to be messed with. “Their sandwiches are really good,” says Glazier, a Speedboat regular. My recommendation is their turkey pesto croissant. The flakey croissant is layered with pesto and melted cheese, making it the perfect breakfast sandwich. Lastly, you can’t take a trip to Speedboat without getting their infamous HVAC latte — which stands for honey, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Honey Latte
On the corner of Main Street and 11th Avenue, Honey Latte is a more industrial-style vegan coffee shop that is a 10-minute drive from Franklin. Though it may be farther away, Honey Latte’s biggest perk is its hours. Being open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. makes it an ideal spot to study after school.
I recommend their House Burrito and seasonal strawberry matcha latte; the sweetness of the strawberry and the earthy taste of the matcha make it the perfect combo. The shop recently introduced a discount for students which offers 20% off if you show your student ID. “We have been getting a lot more students in here recently since we implemented our student discount,” says Destinee Davis, Honey Latte’s resident photographer, social media manager, and occasional barista.
Davis describes her positive experience working at a coffee shop like Honey Latte: “Obviously work is work, but I personally believe the workplace should be joyful while you work hard.” She continues to say that she and her co-workers create an environment where they can thrive inside and outside of the workplace. Their creative environment is something special, and Davis explains, “I can’t speak for all coffee shops … but I genuinely love working here … it’s truly a place that breeds connection, community, love, acceptance, and collective courage to be true to who you are.”
Common Grounds Coffeehouse
Common Grounds Coffeehouse is conveniently located on Hawthorne Boulevard and 40th Avenue — just a short ride from Franklin on the 14 bus line. It is a cozy café with bar seating along with several couches. Common Grounds is another great after-school spot because they are open until 9 p.m. and are in a prime location for Franklin students. I recommend their chai latte frappe and their classic panini which contains eggs, bacon, and avocado. Their paninis are always grilled to perfection and are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Rain or Shine
A Franklin staple, Rain or Shine will always be a regular spot for any student looking for a good place to study. It has a home-like feel and always has a bustling atmosphere. The only downside is their early closing time of 2 p.m.. If you decide to try it out, you can’t go to Rain or Shine without getting one of their signature breakfast sandwiches on a bagel.
There are also places like Tabor Bread and Keeper Coffee Co. that Glazier recommends as she finds Speed Boat’s small tables and Common Grounds’ dim lighting to be downsides.
Coffee shops like Speedboat or Honey Latte aren’t just cuter or more enjoyable than your room or the Franklin library, but there is scientific evidence behind the benefit of studying in a different environment. A study led by Dr. Ravi Mhata at the University of Illinois looked at the effects noise had on creative thinking. The study found that the level of ambient noise in the average coffee shop is around 70 decibels. This level of noise enhanced the creative performance of participants compared to those who studied in a lower decibel range. Music or the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop can create nice background noise when you study. “I like the music playing softly,” agrees Glazier. As a barista, Davis discusses how whoever is playing music makes an effort to suit it to the cafe’s audience, mentioning, “We play whatever we feel fits the collective vibe.”
It is also important to be aware of what music is playing at different times of the day. Davis describes the musical shift at Honey Latte as they near closing, “We try to switch the music to jazz around 7 [p.m.] and keep that going until close… it’s an important energy shift to be mindful of during late night hours.”
Not only can background noise improve productivity, but it can also be frustrating or uncomfortable to study in the same space every day. A change of location can help you avoid burnout and leave your brain feeling rejuvenated.”
Ultimately, it’s up to you to find the coffee shop that works best for your needs and which factors are most important to you. Whether that’s a killer vegan burrito or proximity to school, there are ‘a latte’ good options!
