The Daily Gamecock

A cup of Columbia: Immaculate Consumption

<p>Immaculate Consumption&nbsp;offers an authentic and cozy vibe while getting back to the basics and serving quality versions of basic coffee drinks.&nbsp;</p>
Immaculate Consumption offers an authentic and cozy vibe while getting back to the basics and serving quality versions of basic coffee drinks. 

Immaculate Consumption

Rating: A-

Price: $$

Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Distance from Campus: 0.4 miles

Atmosphere

Immaculate Consumption, also known as IMAC, is located just a few blocks from the end of the Horseshoe and has a simple, creative logo: a coffee bean with wings. Walking in, there are wooden pews which serve as booths and plenty of seating. The colors are very warm and LED lights hang over two registers, one for food and one for coffee — efficient and trendy. If you walk downstairs, their basement area is a great place to sit and hang out. They have another super trendy piece of wall art downstairs — an LED coffee cup that would look great in the background of Instagram pictures. 

 “It is not the quietest place ever since everyone walks above us. It’s making the squeaking noise. But yet, it’s calming, and it could be both,” second-year hospitality management student Timothy Li said. 

I would have to agree with Li — it might not be the best place to study for your next test.

Another student, third-year marketing and management student Laura Berardi, not only had wonderful things to say about the cranberry-almond scones, but she also really enjoys her visits to IMAC.

“The people here are always really friendly, you know, like they are always ... just really nice and they also have a lot of news magazines that are really nice to peruse like Newsweek, and the Nation, and The Economist,” Berardi said. 

Berardi also liked the vibe and the crowd, explaining “everything is very put together and very nice, and I also like being anonymous, which is kinda nice coming here, where I feel like I’m not running into students all the time.” 

Coffee, Drinks, Etc.

Immaculate Consumption’s coffee is unique and rich. I ordered a latte and was not disappointed. Although there was no latte art or anything fancy, it was the correct consistency and had an awesome flavor.

Anna Weller, a barista at IMAC, told me about how their coffee is uniquely roasted.

“We roast our own coffee beans. Our owner, he has a roasting machine, so he roasts different varieties of beans that we then use,”  Weller said.

Their menu of food items is also extensive and unique, and they have everything from pastries and cookies to sandwiches. 

Li, a weekly visitor of Immaculate Consumption, gets something different every time, mentioning that there is no lack in variety. 

“It changes every time I arrive here. Sometimes it's sparkling water, sometimes it’s just plain iced coffee and sometimes maybe Diet Coke when it’s really hot out,” Li said.

Third-year public relations student Olivia Skofteland elaborated on her take of IMAC’s coffee, liking how authentic it is.

“It’s made really well, and it’s also a really good price, which is also awesome. Like it’s not too expensive,” Skofteland said.  “The menu is simple. It’s easy to understand. They don’t try to do anything too crazy; they stick to like, really basic things, but they do it really really well, which I really like, and I just love the authenticity of the whole place.” 

Thoughts

If you consider yourself a coffee guru, I would definitely recommend Immaculate Consumption. They have fantastic espresso drinks that any fanatic would love.

Their trendy atmosphere would be great for catching up with a friend or going on a date, but I don’t think I would recommend it as a study spot. The hours aren’t good for late-night coffee, and it is a little bit too loud, although their constant stream of jazzy and big band tunes might be exactly what you’re looking for.

The setup is nice, and their warm vibe is chill and would be perfect for any lazy afternoon or busy morning. As for hanging out for an extended period of time, the wooden chairs have minimal padding, and you might not want to sit for hours getting to know that cute boy who asked you out.

Overall, IMAC is a solid place to stop during your daily grind if you need some caffeine or a snack. They have reasonable prices that college students can afford and a trendy, authentic atmosphere anyone can enjoy. Not to mention, it’s super close to campus and speaking as a coffee lover, they make a good cup of joe.


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