Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

Page 19 text:

said there are few places like the cafe in Manhattan. Even if you come here alone, you always meet two or three people. It ' s just a fun place to be, Johnson said. Sam White, Manhattan, said he visited the cafe several times each week. It ' s a bit unique. Everybody is allowed to do what they want, White said. In the other places in Aggieville you have to blend in with the crowd. You don ' t have to do that here. It ' s a flashback to the ' 60s. Many of the used the cafe as a way to escape roommates having parties, to study for an upcoming exam or as a place to take a break. The majority of the cafe ' s early morning crowd comprised the University ' s faculty was a break in the Aggieville routine a place where patrons could sit and actually hear what others were saying. It ' s a place where you can come read, talk politics and listen to decent music. So many places are stuck in the Top 40s, but this is new wave, said Tim Thompson, senior in and theater. Espresso Royale Cafe, 618 N. Manhattan Ave., was a 24-hour coffee shop with a full menu of espressos, hot teas and coffees, pastries , brownies and sandwiches. It took a while for the cafe to build a faithful clientele because of the cafe ' s uniqueness, said Lisa Black, manager. The cafe, which opened in October 1987, didn ' t really catch on until early 1988. It took awhile for them to get use to what we offer, but now they keep coming back, Black said. A lot of them are students, but we get quite a mixture of in here. Sheri Johnson, sophomore in architecture, TWO CUSTOMERS take time out to read the Times in the light of Espresso Royale ' s neon sign. Many students took advantage of the Cafe ' s atmosphere to relax or study through out the year. (Photo by Chris Assaf) ANGELA WALTZ, freshman undecided, reviews her and takes notes one evening at the Espresso Royale Cafe. Waltz goes about every night, and says she is definitely a regular because, The atmosphere is great. (Photo by Chris Assaf) AN EMPLOYEE of the Espresso Royale prepares a hot cup of espresso. (Photo by Chris Assaf) I like the here. It has an international flavor. And the coffee is very good, said Jameel Al-Souqi, graduate teaching assistant in regional and community planning. The other places in Aggieville are much more commercialized. This is more slow, You can take your time here, Al-Souqi said. Patrons could often be found playing dominoes, cards or Pente. This is very much like a cafe that you would find in Europe, Al-Souqi said. Thompson said many of the students at the cafe were majoring in art, theater or architecture or anybody without plastic hair. members. by JANET Swanson Espresso Royale 17