Late nights out and brutal hangovers are a thing of the past. Early mornings, strong coffee, wellness and electrifying DJ sets are what’s in for 2025. As night life continues to evolve, the traditional night club model is shifting to help young adults foster genuine relationships and build communities outside of clubbing and partying.
In an attempt to create a unique spin on partying, coffee shops across the nation have brewed up a new trend: transforming their shops into a vibrant, energetic environment for people to enjoy their morning coffee alongside DJs and house music.
512 Coffee Club, one of several coffee and house music pop-ups in Austin, features coffee, music and wellness activations for partygoers to enjoy. Christian West, previously a club promoter and now co-founder of 512 Coffee Club, said he wanted to get into the coffee shop space to move away from nightlife, which he felt disrupted building genuine connections.
“I feel like nightlife is super toxic and nothing’s really authentic,” West said. “I love meeting new people and making new connections. I want to remember these people and be able to follow up at some point … and we’re able to do that with the coffee club space.”
These early morning coffee shop and DJ pop-ups are gaining virality across social media and resonate with a new generation that prioritizes wellness and meaningful experiences. Several organizers are collaborating with businesses around Austin to host their own events, typically every other weekend, featuring a rotation of DJs.
Mushroom Cowboy, an Austin apparel and art brand, hosts their own pop-up event called The Morning Spin. The event originally started out with free entry on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event organizers advertised free drip coffee for the first 150 people, coffee for purchase, DJs and an exclusive sale of their Mushroom Cowboy merch.
Jessica North, a junior advertising major, attended a Morning Spin pop-up. The event lasted from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 8 at the W Austin Hotel.
Knowing that the previous pop-ups resulted in large turnouts, Jessica and her friends arrived an hour prior to the event, allowing them to be among the first let in. By the time the event started, the line already wrapped around the corner and continued across the street.
“I was really impressed by how long the line was, but we got there early and kind of got to enjoy it for a little bit,” North said.
As these pop-ups gain popularity, some organizers, including Mushroom Cowboy, have switched to a ticketed entry system, with tickets often selling out quickly. While Jessica expressed her reluctance about the shift to ticketed entry, she mentioned that the event was still a fun experience, offering a great opportunity to build connections and enjoy her love of house music.
“I remember looking behind me and seeing all the apartment buildings and the people on their balconies in their pajamas with their coffee, just dancing,” North said. “There were a bunch of people wearing cool outfits and just vibing.”
West said that while other organizers shift to ticketed events, he hesitates to do so as his focus remains on building community and fostering genuine connections, rather than prioritizing profit.
“I want to keep it free just because for us, we’re not really in it for money,” West said. “We just want to create a space where it’s wholesome, it’s fun, and it’s a community.”
If you’d like to experience these pop-ups happening around Austin, here are a few happening this month.
512 Coffee Club x Kendra Scott
When: Saturday, March 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Kendra Scott Flagship, 1701 S. Congress Ave.
*Free entry, RSVP required
When: Saturday, March 15, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Mr. Brew Coffee, 8606 Research Blvd.
*Free entry, no RSVP required
When: Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Cosmic Saltillo (EAST), 1300 E 4th St.
*Free entry, RSVP required but does not guarantee entry, VIP $40, with guaranteed entry
