St. Edward’s University students and faculty arrived at Meadows Coffeehouse early on Aug. 23 to find a new face on campus.

 

Jo’s Coffee Shop, an Austin business, took over management of Meadows this summer after Texenza’s contract ended. St. Edward’s Auxiliary Services and a group of faculty and students approved Jo’s over several other possible vendors.

 

The company agreed to a five-year deal to provide services at Meadows and the Doyle Coffee Shop.

 

The shop was in contention with four other businesses including Austin Java, Bon Appétit Management Company, Progress Coffee House and Ruta Maya.

 

Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Stone said that the Dining Services Advisory Council met with a focus group comprised of faculty and students chosen by Student Government officers to determine which proposal would be best for Meadows and Doyle.  

 

“Based on the questioning of the proposing companies, the taste test and our discussions, this group unanimously recommended Jo’s,” Stone said.

 

Stone said that the decision was based on Jo’s competitive offer and that the business best fit the needs of the campus.

 

Junior Fred Tan said he enjoys the change of pace and the products that Jo’s offers but thinks that some items are overpriced.  

 

“The coffee is definitely better, but it’s more expensive,” Tan said.  

 

At three-to-four coffees a day, Tan has spent most of the required commuter meal plan in just a week. Tan’s drink of choice is called simply Turbo, a caffeinated drink combining chocolate, espresso shots, and iced coffee.

While Tan accepts the new prices and embraces new products, there are certain aspects of Texenza that he misses.

 

“The environment is not as cozy as Texenza,” Tan said. “To me, it seems too modern.”

 

Though the scenery may not please some, the process of construction took just under three weeks according to Jo’s consultant Andy Procter, who is seeing both Meadows and Doyle through their opening processes.

 

“We did this turnaround in about three weeks, which would normally take a few months,” Procter said. “It’s still very much a work in progress.”

 

Kara Casteel, a former Texenza employee and current employee at Jo’s, admits the process has been very hectic. However as a barista, Casteel enjoys the new management and the input of the focus group.

 

Casteel said that a focus group member suggested that Jo’s hire previous Texenza employees who had been laid off. Taking the suggestion, Jo’s hired six previous Meadows employees.

 

“I think it’s amazing that a company would do that,” Casteel said. “Usually they bring in their own people.”

 

Jo’s offers a number of products that differ from the past Meadows menu. According to Procter, it’s all in an effort to combine both the vibe of St. Edward’s and the quality of local Austin businesses.

 

“We wanted to create a memorable experience specific to St. Ed’s,” Procter said. “So we tried to bring in a lot of local products.”

 

These products include Torchy’s Tacos and pastries and sandwiches from Walton’s Bakery, as well as new products like yogurt, kombucha tea and Jo’s signature roast coffee.

 

Senior Kelsey Smith prefers the taste of Jo’s coffee to Texenza’s brew.  Smith enjoys the new products, like Torchy’s Tacos, but also appreciates the use of local vendors.

 

“I definitely like that Jo’s is an Austin staple,” Smith said. “I like that it makes the St. Edward’s coffee shop more unique.”

 

Assistant Director of Campus Ministry Brother Larry Atkinson agreed that the focus on local businesses was a plus, but also respects the overall ethosof Jo’s.

 

“I like the excitement and attitude of Jo’s,” Atkinson said. “I also love that they’re sympathetic to fair trade growers and that they’re providing fresh and natural products.”

 

Jo’s coffee blend is also local, Procter said. Owl Tree Roasting, an east Austin business that, according to thier website, is “committed to ecologicl and social responsibility,” provides coffee to all of the Jo’s locations, including its South Congress and Second Street coffee shops. Jo’s is also trying to eventually develop an individual blend for Meadows and Doyle, Procter said.

 

Jo’s will host familiar events, like open mic nights, but in addition, they will also host a jazz and  a trivia night.

 

Procter said that Jo’s is very open to criticism. They added a suggestion box for students to voice their opinions about the new shop.   

 

“If something’s wrong, we want to fix it now,” Procter said. “We have a five-year contract, but we’ve invested for a lot longer than that.”