By Peyton Mears and Tanner Egan | Talon Staff
The closing and relocation of Square Mug Cafe has impacted Tallahassee Community College students by demonstrating the importance of safe spaces within the local community. For many, it proved a sobering realization of the positive impact of local venues on the lives of college students.
Square Mug Cafe, originally located in the Railroad Square Art District, opened its doors in October 2019. It was a zero-waste coffee shop that doubled as a venue space, hosting community events and concerts, and a locally-sourced food bank. A zero-waste coffee shop is when they allow the public to bring their own mug in hopes of having to use the least number of disposable cups possible.
The café has been popular within the community and students because of the welcoming environment. It wasn’t just a place to get coffee and hang out but also a place where students of TCC, who were involved in band and music, could come perform and express themselves as well as listen to others perform. For these students, it was sad to hear that they might be losing this fun-loving environment. Hearing about the reopening just a month later was a relief to many.
Alex Dotson, a Hospitality student at TCC who has attended events at Square Mug, said he is grateful for the space that Square Mug has provided to themselves and their friends.
“It has definitely made a safe space for people to be able to hang out and get good snacks and drinks, as well as a place for people to buy and sell art,” Dotson said.
After facing financial trouble in 2022 and staying afloat thanks to a GoFundMe that raised over $5,000, owner Donna Elliot decided to close the doors of Square Mug Cafe, saying in an Instagram post that she was “tired of being saved.”
McKenzie Cole is an advertising student at TCC and a frequent patron of Square Mug Cafe who was upset to hear about the closing.
“I found out that Square Mug was going to be closing over Instagram and my heart sank,” Cole said. “If Square Mug closed for good, I would be heartbroken. There were so many good memories held there and I would love to continue to make new ones.”
Despite closing its doors for just over a month, Square Mug Cafe once again persevered. In an Instagram post on January 20, 2024, the owners announced that they would be re-opening at The Plant, a community D.I.Y. center located on Gaines Street.
The Square Mug team and The Plant are working together to get the place ready to be a café as well as host events. The cafe is open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday through Friday. Square Mug and The Plant are keeping the community updated via Instagram and Facebook about when they will be back open full-time.
“We will continue to sell coffee and bagels, but we will finally be in a safe and affordable space that will allow us to continue to focus on community outreach without fear of eviction and outrageous rent increases,” Square Mug Cafe said in the post.
For many in the community, this came as a relief.
Jason Jacobs, an Engineering student at TCC, said he believes in the positive impact of local venue spaces for college students.
“I’m glad they re-opened and I do think it will have a positive impact on college students,” said Jacobs. “Local events and venues are important for college students, especially queer students. Having the music scene that we have builds a sense of community and is an easy way to meet new people.”
