Walking into the Brew, one immediately can hear the chatter of students studying, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and the sight of handmade pastries. No matter the location or time of day, this atmosphere is present, providing a convenient café fix to all on campus.
Renee Georgiev, unit manager at the Brew, has worked at Marquette for the past 11 years. Georgiev places her power into the hands of Marquette students.
“What makes the Brew unique is that we are fully student staffed. We are for the students and by the students,” Georgiev said.
“Everything down to our music is in the hands of the students. You can submit song requests to [email protected] as we are always looking for new music” Georgiev said.
Georgiev highlights the many benefits of staffing only Marquette students.
“It truly makes all our locations such a comfortable and laid-back place to hang out; whether you’re studying or meeting with friends, you will always see a familiar face,” Georgiev said.
The Brew tires to be as accessible as possible for all students and faculty on campus.
Georgiev invites all members of the Marquette community to enjoy their time at her cafes.
“We really value diversity and inclusion, and we always want everyone to feel comfortable and cared for here,” Georgiev said.
Georgiev believes this can be seen in the attentiveness of student employees towards the people they serve on a daily basis.
Besides the quality service, Georgiev also prides herself on the welcoming atmosphere prominent at the Brew’s Alumni Memorial Union location of the Brew.
Georgiev credits the warm atmosphere to the interior design she helped create.
“The old Cream City brick walls, the shabby chic painted door wall, the large windows and the music all help to create a unique space that is different from anything else on campus,” Georgiev said.
The AMU location is the busiest of all four Brew locations.
Georgiev credits this to the myriad of seating options and the central location of the coffee shop.
“It is always so cozy and lively in here and students are always busy at work. No matter what time of day you come in, there is always noise and something happening. I fell in love instantly when I came in for my interview many years ago. Back then, the walls were painted lime green and purple, which was wild!” Georgiev said.
Stella Quinlan, a junior in the College of Communication, feels most productive when studying at the Brew, as opposed to other locations on campus.
“Even though I have to leave my apartment to get there, the sound of the espresso machine and people gathering gives a motivating energy to the space.”
Quinlan enjoys exploring coffee shops not only on campus, but throughout the city of Milwaukee.
“Out of all the coffee shops in the whole city I have been to, the Brew is the one I frequent the most, which says a lot,” Quinlan said.
Quinlan prefers the Brew location at the AMU over the other three.
“I would say this location is appealing because it’s in the middle of campus and has a great environment to stay focused in; it also has the most seating,” Quinlan said.
Quinlan finds she studies more efficiently at the Brew than the library.
“It honestly is where I have done the most studying at Marquette. It is my favorite thing to do when I come. I know it is a space that I can rely on no matter what academic situation I am in,” Quinlan said.
Right now, all Brew locations are getting ready for the fall season. In addition to the new fall specials from Starbucks such as the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Apple Crisp Macchiato, the Brew is starting to serve serving apple cider.
“We also just launched a new student drink of the week initiative. This week we are featuring a Pumpkin Chai created by our student manager, Claire Flynn,” Georgiev said.
Georgiev notices that there is not a spike in customers with the changing seasons, but more with the progression of the semester.
“We definitely get busier as we near midterms and finals,” Georgiev said.
The Brew will be opening their fifth location in the business school next semester. Georgiev has high hopes for the location.
“We did a tour of the site last month and it already is so beautiful. I can’t wait to see that finally come together and to open the doors for the first time to a new Brew,” Georgiev said.
Georgiev hopes to see as many familiar faces as possible.
This story was written by Angelina Galullo. She can be reached at [email protected].
