Rylie Horrall  | Lifestyle Editor

Getting up in the morning can be a challenge, especially when the previous night lasted into the early hours of morning. For some people, the best pick-me-up for this is a cup of coffee, whether it’s brewed at home or picked up from a coffee shop. Here are some locations in the Monmouth-Independence area to try and start the day off with coffee.

On campus, students have access to Caffé Allegro — located in the Werner University Center — and The Press inside the Hamersly Library. Both have smaller areas for patrons to sit and do work, and have a container of sweets and breakfast goods for early mornings. Caffé Allegro is open 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri., and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturdays. The Press is open Mon.–Thurs. from 8 a.m.–8 p.m., and 8 a.m.–3 p.m. on Fridays.

Bugles Espresso is a drive-through coffee shop located at 444 Pacific Ave S. It’s a small establishment that’s located in a private parking lot, and their menu changes monthly. For the month of January, some of the drinks offered are The Avalanche, the Icicle White Mocha and the Frosted Chai — the beverages being a play on the cold weather usually experienced during this time. Bugles Espresso is open 6 a.m.–6 p.m. on Mon.–Fri., 7 a.m.–6 p.m. on Saturdays and 7 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sundays. More information can be found on their Instagram @bugles_espresso and on Facebook.

Java Crew is a sit-down establishment near Western, just off the corner of Main Street and Monmouth Avenue. In addition to regular coffee, Java Crew offers premium drinks that contain a large amount of caffeine — their coffee containing between three to six shots. The menu has a few basic drinks with an extensive list of flavors that customers can add in, and a variety of ways to drink the beverage, such as hot, iced or blended. It’s open Mon.–Fri. from 7 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Additional information can be found on their Instagram @javacrewmonmouth and their website javacrew.com.

Brew Coffee and Tap House, located at 211 S Main St. in Independence, has both indoor and outdoor seating for patrons, and serves food in addition to coffee and drinks as the name suggests. Founded in 2016, the business provides an extensive menu to choose from, with their coffee taking up one page on it’s own. Their social media pages — Instagram @brewcoffeeandtaphouse, Twitter @BrewCoffeeTap and Facebook — show the lively atmosphere the site appears to have. Brew Coffee and Tap House is open from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 7 a.m.9– p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.–8 p.m. on Sunday, with more information found on their website brewcoffeeandtaphouse.com.

Rick’s Place is a coffee franchise that has been open since 1995, and can be found at 123 Main St. E. Along with a diverse selection of flavors for their espresso, they have many different sandwiches, salads, soups and bakery sweets to grab on the go. If a customer comes in on their birthday, they can receive a free $3 drink if they have their I.D. as proof. It’s open Mon.–Fri. from 7 a.m.–3 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m.–11 p.m., and can be found on Facebook.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu 

Photos by Kay Bruley