The search for the perfect study spot at Texas A&M can be fraught with terrors: overcrowded library study rooms, noisy “quiet” floors and older classroom buildings with vaguely threatening smells (we’re looking at you, Blocker).

But tucked into the heart of boot-scooting College Station is a quietly eclectic and artsy refuge with plenty of tables and a (theoretically) endless supply of caffeine and Wi-Fi. This comforting coffee shop is Sweet Eugene’s, which was voted “Best Study Spot” by every one of two students polled at A&M.

Sweet Eugene’s was founded over 30 years ago in 1993 by two recent college graduates, current owner Aaron Brown and his brother. The pair recognized an open market for a coffee shop in College Station, as major chains like Starbucks were still limited to the East and West coasts at the time.

“It was crazy slow [when we started],” Brown said. “We were working over a hundred hours a week each and making zero money for quite a while. Every once in a while, we’d get someone who would walk in the door and they would walk, like, six feet in and stop. And they would look around and be like. ‘What?’ It was just kind of a new idea back then.”

Eventually, the shop took off, fueled by the second and third waves of coffee culture reaching the central U.S. in the early 2000s. Brown’s brother has since moved out of state, so Brown now runs the shop alongside his wife.

The pleasant atmosphere of the café contributes to its place as a top study spot for A&M students. While it can get bustling on finals week afternoons, it’s on the larger side of most coffee shops and has several large tables with room to spread out. However, it’s certainly the art-centric and often unconventional decor at Sweet Eugene’s that continues to make it stand out from other Bryan-College Station offerings, with oversized sofas, eclectic sculpture, paintings and at least one intriguing mannequin, all gracing its warm-toned interior.

For performing arts organization TAMU Iktara, Sweet Eugene’s quirky decor style made it the perfect place to shoot on their media day for their “Alice in Wonderland” theme this semester. Iktara also held a profit share with the shop last semester.

“It has a very whimsical, kind of odd-in-a-good-way vibe,” Ritika Sanadi, liaison for TAMU Iktara and environmental geoscience senior, said.

Iktara hosts an annual competition on campus for collegiate-level dance teams across the country to showcase Bollywood-fusion and Indian classical dance routines. The organization’s goal in holding the competition is to help the South Asian community at A&M honor their heritage and share their traditions with the Aggie family, according to the organization’s website.

Sanadi also works as a stylist for A&M’s student-run fashion magazine, A-Line. She said she would be interested in conducting a photoshoot of her own there someday if given the opportunity.

“I feel like they kind of create a very comfy, cozy vibe with all the little knickknacks and random things that you might see around the place,” Sanadi said. “Also, everyone’s super friendly there and just overall nice.”

The choice of decor is not by accident, Brown said.

“We try to throw in novel … pieces in each room that will spur conversations,” Brown said. “A lot of people have described the decor as kind of chaotic, but that it somehow comes together. I feel like that’s kind of how our customers are. It’s kind of this random, chaotic blend of people. But somehow, it works out.”

Brown pointed to some practical explanations for Sweet Eugene’s popularity and longevity, such as their early opening and late closing times, drive-thru option and freshly baked goods from their in-house bakery.

“I’m confident that the main reason is because of God, no question,” Brown said.

“We’ve seen over 40 coffee shops come and go since we’ve opened, so it can be a tricky business … we definitely put God first, and that’s definitely why I believe we’re still here.”

Brown is also not oblivious to Sweet Eugene’s deeper impact on some student’s college experiences. He’s had former students call to reserve a personally memorable table in the shop to celebrate anniversaries and engagements. Brown met his own wife through the shop, where she was first a customer and employee.

Brown said he’s glad that his business has been able to bring so many people together in different ways.

“We’ve heard from a lot of people that this is their second home,” Brown said. “We love to hear that because we want people to feel welcome. No matter where on the spectrum they are politically, religiously or what have you, I think that’s neat that people can meet up here and connect with people, meet people … and just feel welcome.”