Although Point Loma Nazarene only has one coffee shop on campus, the surrounding areas are littered with unique coffee shops. Located on Niagara Street in Ocean Beach, San Diego, The Template is a coffee shop known for its multiple environments created throughout the week: a local music party one night, an open mic event the next and an improv show to conclude the week.. However, referring to The Template as just a coffee shop doesn’t quite do the establishment justice. According to the local hub’s website, they are “a collective of movers and shakers, curating a template space for artists, locals, explorers and the curious mind to come and unite.” With disco balls, whacky art and vintage clothes, The Template offers a unique space for the creative and caffeine-addicted.
Claiming to be an integral part of the art community and the heartbeat of OB, The Template offers a wide variety of handcrafted drinks and artistic workshops open to the community to provide a space for yoga, dancing, music, performances and storytelling. Every Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. The Template offers an improv night, and every Thursday at 6 p.m. an open mic night. The Template’s stage is open to local artists for performances and for Monday night salsa dancing from 7-9 p.m.
The Template opened in OB just two days before the pandemic forced a nationwide shutdown. Template barista, Lauren Kuzma, said that for the first year they were only able to provide window service which never allowed customers to experience the main attraction of the coffee shop – the quirky interior.
The decorations and ambiance of The Template comes from the owners, Marie Perry-Smith, Haley Brousseau, Lucy Forton and Soleil Ray Forton, who are members of a traveling circus. Most of the art installations are made by the owners themselves or local OB artists. The most recent addition is a glass heart hanging in the center of the shop. In fact, Kuzma said that they would be interested in buying art from PLNU students.
In addition to a beautiful interior, The Template serves coffee, matcha and tea. The most popular drink, according to Kuzma, is the Huns and Roses Latte with house-made rose syrup.
OB is known for its quirkiness that appears both in its residents and in its small businesses like The Template. The laid-back, go-with-the-flow, surf culture of OB creates an eccentric community that is best on display down Newport Avenue as vendors of handmade goods line the road at the Wednesday night farmers market. The Template, located just two streets over on Niagara Avenue, provides a meeting space for members of this unique town offering coffee, community and culture.
Students can contact The Template via phone call or through the contact option on the website at https://www.obtemplate.com/.
Written By: Avery Bosco
Steve Anderson