Shop celebrates sixth year

by Marcie Ortega

Daily Lobo

Erin Mowris, owner of Irysh Mac's, said it's not about the money.

She always wanted to have her own coffee shop.

"I'm not looking to be a millionaire - just pay the bills and have a nice place for people," she said.

Irysh Mac's, a coffee shop on Yale Boulevard, is having a party in celebration of its sixth year in business Saturday at 7 p.m.

Mowris said there will be cake, food and live music by the acoustic folk rock singer Kimo.

Mowris said Irysh Mac's is more like a home, and everyone who works there has their own group of regulars they know by name or drink.

"They know what they drink," she said. "I know hundreds. By the third time I try to have their drink memorized."

Customer John Lockridge said the regulars fit together somehow.

"It's a strange thing," he said. "We have people doing all sorts of different things, but we all get along real well."

Clover Hatcher, a graduate student and regular customer, said she likes the shop for its good company.

"No matter who's working, there's always somebody hanging out, and there is always some interesting conversation that's not completely superficial," she said. "For a long time, I spent more time here than I did at home."

Along with providing its customers with almost around-the-clock service, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at midnight, Irysh Mac's is also an outlet for local artists to display their talents.

"The owner, Erin, she gives a lot of opportunities to people that they wouldn't normally get," Hatcher said.

The coffee shop has musical performances several times a week as well as art openings every month. Mowris said she tries to exhibit work mostly by students.

"I want to give them experience," she said.

Another aspect of the coffee shop that sets it apart from others is its cell phone-free policy. Employee Tenely Zumwalt said she is a big fan of the policy and enjoys enforcing it.

"I think the way things have gone now, everyone feels they have the right to talk everywhere they go," she said. "The people who come here and like it really appreciate it."

Mowris said she created the policy because she feels cell phone conversations can be distracting.

"I just think it's common courtesy," she said. "When people are on their cell phones they are a lot louder."

Saturday's celebration will have a theme to go along with the age of the shop. In previous years Mowris has had a coloring party, where she provided crayons for people to draw. This year it will be Lego blocks.

"I've been trying to figure out what 6-year-olds play with," she said.

She doesn't plan to change anything about the shop, and hopes it continues to draw in new customers.

"It's just quirky around here," she said. "You never know what's going to happen."