I am happy to announce that I have good news for those of you annoyed with the overbearing ways of Starbucks. A "good-guy" coffee shop finally exists. Confluence Coffee, located on Peter's Creek Parkway, is owned and run by River Church. It is - drum-roll, please - non-profit! That's right, as soon as this brand new coffee shop breaks even, all the money it makes will be donated to the community. And that's not the only good thing about this place.

The coffee is amazing. I ordered an iced latte and could not have been happier. The atmosphere is great - a few couches and comfortable chairs, as well as plenty of tables. With free Wi-Fi, a couple of computers and plenty of space, it makes for the ultimate study spot. The conference room is even available for patrons to study in when not reserved. The food is delicious, with bagels and sandwiches provided by the Bagel Station, which we all know is a favorite of Wake students. The pastries are made by a local bakery and are delicious as well. (Especially the peanut butter cookies.)

They also have concerts each week at Confluence in their large concert hall. There is a banquet room attached to the concert hall, making it easy to plan parties, which they are happy to do! The concerts are all free and showcase local artists, making Confluence an even more integral part of its community. Confluence prides itself on its flexibility in attempting to accommodate customers who wish to plan events.

Confluence's slogan is "Where coffee and life collide." This statement hits the nail on the head. For instance, this fall, Confluence will have its own pumpkin patch with pumpkins and gourds to purchase. There will also be face-painting and a photo booth. This coffee shop clearly caters to families, not just caffeine-addicted college students. Confluence's goal is to embed itself in the community and at the same time make it a better place. And with quality coffee and a great space (it even has an indoor playground) it seems very likely that it will achieve it.

The only downside to Confluence is its distance to Wake's campus. It takes about 15 minutes to get there, which may seem a little too much. But if you're looking for a place to camp out to do work on a weekend and you know the library is going to be packed, the trip may be worth it. The coffee is great, less expensive than Starbucks, and the shop itself is inviting, clean and has a relaxing atmosphere. I would definitely consider it as a worthy alternative to the long lines and loud, crowded areas of the new Starbucks if it came down to getting my work done and getting away from campus for a bit. And hey...who doesn't occasionally want to decorate a pumpkin?