Just in time for the approach of the fall season, Off the Ave, a cafe at St. Mary's College, reopened yesterday morning.
Board members, baristas and young professionals eager to open their passion project filled the space during the grand reopening.
The cafe, located on the second floor of Spes Unica Hall, contains a commonplace area, barista bar and connected outdoor deck overlooking campus.
Off the Ave adds new items to their menu each season, and top fan favorites from previous seasonal menus can be found in this year’s Back to School menu. The cafe also sells pastries from the South Bend business Ragamuffin.
Off the Ave was started by six Class of 2023 marketing students and one Class of 2024 marketing student in the spring 2023 semester. The cafe is operated by a student board, which senior Libby Rogers serves on.
“[Off the Ave] gives women the space to create and run their own business … and the freedom to explore a side of business that nobody sees unless behind closed doors,” she said. “[Off The Ave] is something really special and a great way to make friends.”
Libby Rogers specializes in finance on the board. When asked about the history of the cafe, the board members called upon senior lecturer Jim Rogers.
“This all started with a luncheon conversation between myself and Hannah Shoemake,” he said. “She wanted to show the capabilities marketing students [at Saint Mary’s] have to offer.”
Jim Rogers aided a team of marketing students in getting the cafe started through a presentation to the official college board and then setting up shop. The founders attributed part of their success to their business classes when Off The Ave opened on Feb. 20, 2023. The syrup flavors, for example, where selected based on a survey for marketing research assignments for founder Erin Harrington.
The cafe is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
