As the spring 2018 semester comes to an end, The Bean, a coffee shop located on South Gay Street in the heart of Auburn, celebrated its third anniversary on Monday night.
The smell of fresh pastries and brewed coffee filled the air as patrons, employees and the owner celebrated three years of business.
Inside the coffee shop, Auburn students and residents were busy either typing away on their computers, deep in conversation with fellow friends and classmates or enjoying one of The Bean's famous homemade cinnamon rolls or wonder latte.
In the front room of the coffee shop, the room was buzzing with friendly conversation and the sounds of customers ordering their specialty drink and a fresh pastry.
Every piece of furniture in the coffee shop has a retro '60s and '70s look with its own flare. The chairs and tables are mismatched but somehow look as if they are supposed to be placed together.
"The atmosphere at The Bean is completely different from all other coffee shops around," barista at The Bean, Ivy Smith, said. "The theme of our furniture, lighting and wall art is always the big talk for new customers and we really try to get the family-feel with every customer."
By the register, there were light blue, grey, yellow and orange balloons hanging, matching The Bean's logo and theme.
The chalkboard menus were hung above the register, all having unique fonts and colors that automatically catch the eye of the customer.
The Bean also serves "fair trade coffee" which means that each cup of coffee has an impact on farmers in impoverished countries and provides them with a fair wage.
On top of that, the roasters they use are involved with charities and mission work.
There were giveaways all throughout the night. Customers had the chance to win gift cards, t-shirts, cinnamon rolls and more.
The line was substantially long all night with people eager to order their delicious treats and coffees.
When customer reached the register and placed their orders, they were met with a little bowl holding all different kinds of discounts and specials. For example, "25% off your order on April 16th".
At around 7 p.m. one of the owners steps forward in front of the register and makes an announcement to all of the guests.
"Thank you so much for helping The Bean make it three years. We are going to sing happy birthday to The Bean, then I am going to let my sweetie [co-owner Sydney Nichols] blow out the candles and then y'all can enjoy free birthday cake for however long it lasts," said co-owner, Ben Nichols.
The owners and all of the workers at The Bean consistently had smiles on their faces when serving and talking with customers.
"Working at The Bean is so fun. It is like having a second family who really cares for you," said Smith. "My bosses, Mr. Ben and Mrs. Sydney, constantly check in on how the employees are and really make it an enjoyable place to work."
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