$1.3 million donation from the Schar Campus Beautification Gift helped make Lyceum Café an on-campus spot for students, faculty and residents of the Ashland community.  

The cafe provides customers with drinks, food, a study spot, a social place and more. Ever since the cafe opened in 2023, it has continued to be a place consistently utilized by the students at Ashland University, making campus a place to be, even between classes.  

The success of Lyceum can be partly attributed to Bree Truax, general manager of the cafe.  

Her management position isn’t the first one she’s held at the university. 

She gained her experience by originally working at the John C. Myers Convocation Center, in which she had a variety of roles. From the pasta station to the egg line, she took skills learned from her past and is able to apply them every day at the cafe.  

“The faster pace in Convo and being able to multitask and learn how to make different things really benefited me when I made the switch to Lyceum,” Truax said.  

Since Truax became manager, the cafe has continued to grow in many different aspects every year. She has continued to add and create a plethora of menu items, including the popular flatbreads. “The chicken bacon ranch and the three-cheese garlic chicken, those are all created by me,” Truax said. 

Another aspect of which the cafe has grown is sales and popularity. The space consistently has students in line to order, tables filled and coffees in hand. In the past year, the cafe has made the most growth. “Our sales have doubled since we’ve been open,” said Truax. “But in the beginning, it was hectic. We were all learning together.” 

Sophomore Maddie Fleck is a prominent customer of the cafe. She is a busy student-athlete as she’s balancing golf, schoolwork, her on-campus job and social media presence.  

“The cafe has become a part of my daily routine before classes and I absolutely love it. Being able to go to a space that feels warm and welcoming while using a swipe to get my favorite drink every day really helps me have a good mindset about school,” Fleck said.  

She also noted that the on-campus aspect of the cafe is important.  

“Many college students my age enjoy going to Dunkin or Starbucks to get a coffee, but being able to have our own Ashland coffee shop makes it accessible and convenient, which I know a lot of students enjoy,” Fleck said. 

As the Lyceum cafe continues to grow, it has become a lot more than a place to grab a quick bite or coffee. It has become a central part of campus life. For Truax, that growth is what matters most moving forward. “I hope it continues to grow and that students continue to enjoy everything we do here,” Truax said.  

Even as the cafe evolves, its impact on students and the community it creates seems likely to stick around.