Located between The Square and the Texas State campus, Stellar Cafe experienced some major changes throughout the summer. The first thing that you notice when walking in to Stellar is a complete change in theme. Along with new owners and a different name, Stellar Coffee Co., the aesthetic of the shop has shifted to a modern industrial and minimalist design and incorporated the slogan "be a good human." While exploring the new Stellar, I had the chance to speak with general manager, Madison Myrick, about the changes to the shop and the ways that Stellar wants to create a community around coffee.
What's Changed?
To make the location feel brighter and more open, Madison states that they decided to use a simplistic approach to the decor. The shop has new wooden tables with accents such as black chairs and white coffee mugs. To mirror the change in decor, the menu has been completely redesigned. Madison notes that the new menu has been simplified to make it more "user friendly." The menu still includes pour over coffee, which is only available in one other coffee shop in San Marcos. Madison also mentioned that they have started to increase their presence on social media, such as Instagram, to attract their primary audience of Millennials. Coming from a different company in the neighboring city of Austin, she mentioned that Instagram was an integral part of their business.
The most notable change in the shop is the inclusion of the new slogan "be a good human." When asked about how they came up with the slogan, Madison mentioned that "with everything that is going on the in the world, we are lacking empathy. As a coffee shop, we want to be a place that houses good people." She states that part of Stellar's new vision is to give back to the community and serve as a place where people can come together and drink some stellar coffee. She noted that as part of the new design they are planning to introduce flavors and syrups that are made in-house to give a unique experience to their coffee.
Building a Community
The goal of the new Stellar, Madison continued, is to "build relationships. What allows you to be a good human is the connections that you make with others. We can have the best coffee, but is that what is going to make people come back?" Madison notes that this idea of community is also embedded within the staff. When asked if she only hires people who already have barista experience, she notes that that is not something that is completely necessary. She states that "I can teach you how to do anything, as long as your passionate."
Photo of the staff courtesy of Stellar Coffee Co.
She relays that she wants her customers and staff to feel free while at the shop and has tried to build a culture that allows the creation of connections. To achieve this, Madison notes that they try to play music that feels inviting as well as make it easy for people to study or converse with one another. To reinforce the idea of being a good human and how that influenced the culture of Stellar Coffee Co., Madison notes that "if you think about the best conversations, they have probably been over a cup of coffee."
Final Thoughts
I think that the remodeled shop is a great place to go to if you are looking to meet some good people, drink some great coffee, and have a stellar experience. With decor that makes it very easy to take Instagram-worthy pictures, it is a fun place to visit with friends. Stellar is great if you need a quick daily fix of caffeine, or need a place to sit and study for several hours. I recommend getting the hot dark chocolate mocha with oat milk because chocolate and coffee are made for each other. Otherwise, the staff is extremely knowledgeable about their menu and can help you pick out your new [stellar] coffee.