Every morning people look to start their day with something. Some have a good breakfast, some get a pre-job workout. For ULM students, there is a new option. If you want to start your day with coffee, there is nowhere better to go to in Monroe than Standard Coffee Co. on Desiard Street.

Open since Nov. 8, 2019, Standard Coffee Co. has become a staple of downtown Monroe. Manager Mac Blades started the company because of his love of coffee.

“From all the flavors of coffee, to the different ways of making it, to the culture that it brings to you,” said Blades on his reasoning for getting into the coffee business.

The first time someone enters the coffee shop, they are automatically a regular. Blades and his fellow baristas do not simply make you a drink and send you on your way, they truly want to get to know you and will never forget your favorite order.

“The coffee shop culture in Monroe is a foreign concept. This style of shop is new to people. It is about creating an experience that you would only get in a big city like Austin or New Orleans,” Blades said.

And if you come to the shop every morning, you’ll notice several familiar faces that come in everyday, multiple times a day, to get their coffee fix.

“We actually have a group of guys who come in every day to get one of our signature drinks, The Undertow,” Blades said.

With a friendly staff and welcoming business, it is easy to understand why locals would make it one of the main stops throughout their day.

Standard is the perfect place for ULM students in the spring semester. Open Monday through Saturday, seven a.m. to seven p.m., it is a perfect study location right by campus. Since school is back in session, Standard will be offering a new student discount of 10% off with a valid student ID. This discount begins at the end of January and will extend throughout the semester.

When you need that boost to get to class, or in the evening you want a welcoming environment to study in, head down to Monroe’s newest coffee shop, Standard Coffee Co. Once you do, you won’t want to go anywhere else for coffee.